Protectors of the Right
by ToxicWednesday
Summary: Former Pink Ranger and up & coming journalist, Kimberly Hart, is assigned the task of getting an exclusive tell all on a new set of Power Rangers. As the forces of evil begin to show throughout Reefside, she learns that the Dino Rangers are exactly what the town needs. She gains an instant attraction to the heroic black Dino ranger all without a clue to the mystery behind the mask.
1. Chapter 1

**Full summary:**

 _Former Pink Ranger and up-and-coming journalist, Kimberly Hart, is assigned the task of getting an exclusive tell all on a new set of Power Rangers that emerged in California. As the forces of evil begin to show throughout Reefside, she l_ _earns that the Dino Rangers are exactly what the sleepy town needs._ _Her heart is left fluttering as she gains an instant attraction to the he_ _roic Black Dino Ranger that has proved to be her knigh_ _t in shining armor. All without a clue to the mystery behind the helme_ _t. Nothing could prepare her for what she was to find._

* * *

 **Tuesday, March 23, 2004**

 **Miami Daily Times**

 **7308 Palmdale Dr** **.** **#108**

 **Miami, Florida**

 **8:26AM**

This was the first time it's ever happened.

 _There was an uncontrollable desperate need to gasp for air, a drowning feeling she just couldn't overcome. Kimberly laid strapped to a gurney in the middle of a room with an overpowering spotlight to her face, the rest as black as night. Her eyes bravely searched her surroundings, but found nothing. No sound, no visibility, no life. Just a giant black hole of emptiness. Nothing aside from the deep fear that thundered violently throughout her tightening chest. Her arms tugged roughly on the prickled cotton straps at her wrists as she fought to get free, the skin beneath the fabric blistering red as it burned from the friction._

 _And then, coming from the dark... there was laughter. The kind that ate all hopes and dreams, the kind that forced you to believe there was no way out, the kind that embedded fear so deep in your soul that death seemed like a simpler option. She gulped as she sunk in deeper into her seat. She could feel the presence watching her from across the room. Her watery eyes widened while she stole glances into the darkness in search of the direction of the sound, salty tears involuntarily spilled from her eyes down her trembling cheeks. Her crawling skin turned pale as the merciless laughter soon turned into more of a wrathful growl, that alone had her heart shivering in absolute horror._

 _Sweat began cascading down her forehead in bead like droplets, pooling at the column in her neck. She whimpered as footsteps began to stomp her way, her years as a pink fighting machine erased as the mysterious figure stood in the darkness at her feet with glowing yellow eyes. She wasn't the fearless sixteen year old that would roll her eyes in the face of danger anymore. She was a journalist with critical thinking skills and more guts than the best of them, but she was still human. She could still fear, still bleed, still cry, and still be disintegrated by whatever was before her._

 _Her lips parted, pearly whites chattering as her nails dug into the gurney. This person... This... Monster? She just... She wasn't sure what to think of it. What did it want with her? The husky breathing coming from the foot of the bed absolutely petrified her, and even if she wasn't strapped down, she was sure she would have had no courage to move._

 _Razor sharp fingernails instantly clawed at her ankles as she kicked and screamed in horror—_

"—Thank God, I thought you died." A loud bang came from a stack of folders slamming into a deep mahogany desk.

Kimberly head shot up that instant from where it rested on her laptop. Her heart raced as fast as a horse as she wiped the moisture from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes remained widened as she took in her familiar surroundings, her breathing coming in unevenly. Sound began to come through her ear; people talking in the background, fax machines dialing, phones ringing, printers printing, and heavy footsteps outside her office door all came in thoroughly.

Her deep brown eyes turned to a tall blonde standing in front of her desk. Her best friend, Lily Foster, looked at Kimberly with concern before she smiled when she saw that she was okay.

"I've been calling your cell all morning. You look like death, Kim," she giggled as she tucked a golden lock behind her ear. "You should have seen yourself while you were sleeping," Lily's eyes closed tight while she mimicked Kimberly's previous breathing in an overly exaggerated sense. Laughing softly when she finished.

"What the hell was that," Kimberly whispered to herself, ignoring her friends try for a joke. Her hands still trembling as she slowly came back to reality.

It was all a dream... But how? This just didn't feel right. It seemed more like a message— no, premonition from the future. It was all so real. One hand moved to hold her slender wrist, the burning sensation still fresh on her bare skin, and if she thought on it hard enough, she could still feel the heat of their grasp around her ankles. She didn't even remember falling asleep. One moment she was sitting in her office typing her latest article for the newspaper and the next she was transported somewhere she didn't recognize... With _something_ that wanted nothing more than to hurt her.

Her hands ran roughly through her hair. She sighed nervously, whatever that was was now over and she was safe.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was _wrong_. She hadn't felt this way in way too long. The last time she honestly feared for her safety was years ago when she and Jason were suspended over Maligores pit. That day was one that still haunted her to this day. She remembered hysterically screaming for help as she was lowered into the fire, and then catapulting out of there with so much power. Her sole mission was set to destroy the Power Rangers...

But just like the others had done before and after, her role as a Power Ranger was long over. That was a job for someone that was younger and more agile than she was now. Honestly, she had no clue if Earth even had rangers anymore. There wasn't exactly a number in the phonebook she could look up. Maybe there could be some around _somewhere_ , but as far as she knew, Miami was completely dry of them. Now her life had taken a different turn. She left her dreams and aspirations of being a gymnast in the past when she took a bad fall before the Pan Globals. Her bed rest discovered her true passion in journalism. She traveled the country to find the best scoop, even winning prestigious awards last year for her investigative reporting.

Lily stood with a raised brow and one hand on her hip as she watched Kimberly remain silent, "What, no snarky comeback?"

Kimberly's eyes lifted, but her eyelids remained heavy with a blank expression. Looking at her best friend, she gave a weak smile.

"Geez, Kim, You're half asleep."

She nodded, yawning as she grabbed her now cool cup of coffee and took a sip. Her face scrunched while one of her eyelids twitched. Okay, coffee was _not_ meant to be cold. "I had a late night."

Lily moved to take a seat in the empty chair across from Kimberly's desk, smiling as she figured she be hearing some juicy details in a minute. "I'm guessing the date went well."

Kimberly shook her head as she rolled her eyes, thinking back to the disastrous night before. Yesterday marked twenty-eight year old Kimberly's first date in months. "It was going great until his ex-girlfriend kept banging on the door demanding child support payments."

She was done with guys. After turning down one of her coworkers for weeks, she finally agreed to go on a date with him. Steven arrived at her doorstep looking dapper as ever, and in that moment she hoped things would turn out well. The evening continued as he earned bonus points when he paid for dinner like a true gentleman, and when he invited her back to his place, she was sure the date wouldn't end until way past the midnight hour. Unfortunately, as soon as they settled on the couch, there was a loud banging on the door. She recalled being so disgusted by him telling her to hide in the closet that she grabbed her bag and bolted out of there.

Lily sympathized with her best friend, knowing first hand how tough it was to deal with lying scum. "Hey, well at least your guy didn't accidentally answer and transfer their wife in the middle of phone sex. That's the closest I've ever gotten to a threesome," she cringed at the memory, rolling her eyes as she did so. The questioning glare that came from Kimberly was answered the next moment, "And to answer that lingering question, no I didn't know he was married."

The two friends shared a snorted giggle, finding joy in what was once an embarrassing memory. "So I take it you're not going back out with Steven?"

Kimberly didn't even think he deserved the energy it took to form a proper sentence. Instead she opted for the _totally_ mature response of a thumbs down while she blew a raspberry. She should have known that a date on a Monday night would go horribly, I mean, who does that?

"Sorry, Kim."

"Miami is filled with such horrible guys," Kimberly sighed in frustration, "I haven't had a decent date in years."

"They're not all bad."

"Well, you got lucky with your husband."

"Yeah I did," Lily smiled genuinely, sighing like a school girl when she thought about her loving husband. Changing back to her real task today, she turned her attention back to Kimberly, "Anyway, Kim, you missed the meeting again."

Kimberly looked at her blankly, shrugging as she handed her friend the article she had just finished typing, "I was finishing up my paper."

Lily grabbed the freshly printed article, scoffing when she read the headline, " _Aliens walk amongst us?_ "

Kimberly scrunched her nose as she waited for her friends response, "What do ya think?"

Rolling her eyes, Lily continued to read the biggest piece of trash she ever laid eyes on. Kimberly was better than this, fake tabloid journalism was beneath her. This article belonged beside the other shitty newspapers that printed headlines about how President Bush was secretly a robot and raising Big Foot as a single father. "Kim there's a reason we don't miss meetings."

She waved her hand at her friend dismissively, continuing to swivel in her chair back and forth while she chewed on the end of her pen thoroughly, "It's whatever, I'll just go to the next one."

Lily loved her petite friend dearly, in fact they've been attached at the hip since Kimberly joined the company four years ago, but sometimes Kimberly was so hardheaded she became her own worst enemy. The Miami Daily Times had hit a dry spot this year. What was once considered one of the best news sources turned into a joke in the industry. There had recently been a bit of a mix up in owners as the owner of the paper had recently passed away. His son had taken over the family business, and well, the 20 year old was in way over his head. He didn't know the first thing about running a paper. Before he was able to run the business down the toilet, he sold it. Now the new owner was trying to build the company back up, but those few months of writing crap articles because the owner didn't care had turned Kimberly rather lazy.

Kimberly was once the top journalist for the newspaper, and since she was once the company's most prized possession, she figured she was safe, but boy was she wrong. "No it's not. If you were there you would have known that they aren't looking for pieces like these anymore. The newspaper is working hard to build up a good reputation. Carrie is gonna blow a fuse."

Like she cared. Carrie Smith is the hired Editor-in-Chief, and the biggest dough bag in history. Kimberly still secretly thinks that he's being such a hardass to make up for having such a feminine name. "Oh let him, we both know he won't do anything."

"No, he's really considering getting a replacement."

"He can't replace me, I bring in the best scoop," Kimberly threw back, folding her arms across her chest firmly as she leaned back in her chair.

"Kim," lily scoffed, rolling her eyes as she thought about what Kimberly meant, "A gossip piece on Brad Pitt cheating on Jennifer Aniston with Angelina Jolie is not the biggest scoop."

The brunette beauty smiled, thinking back to how much attention her article received. Her career was at an all time high for that, "It was the biggest talk of the year."

"Yeah.. Last year and again, those were dismissed as rumors. They're still together. All you did was cause a world of hurt to those people."

Kimberly's eyes fell. Lily was the type of friend that would tell you bluntly that you were full of shit and she really needed someone like that, but that didn't mean that it still didn't hurt. She knew the gossip article that she wrote last year was hurtful, but she was so into her life as a journalist that she didn't care. It may have done wonders for her career, but it did nothing for her conscience.

Her eyes moved to where a single picture frame sat on her desk and she smiled tenderly. She was doing everything for the person in that picture, doing all she could to make them proud. And she remembered doing just that last year, "Well, what about that one time I found that the secret service was conspiring against the president? I saved a life."

"Yes, that was amazing and you deserve all the praise you received, but that's yesterday's news." Lily moved to the edge of her seat, her voice raising as she tried to get her point across to Kimberly. "You better get your act together or _you'll_ be yesterday's news too."

Kimberly's bottom lip quickly became sandwiched between her teeth. She knew she had been slacking, but to actually lose her job from it was not something she was going to allow to happen. "You think?"

"I know," the blonde promised firmly.

"Well what the hell am I gonna do," Kimberly spoke frantically, "I just spent the last couple of hours working on this piece."

Lily shook her head as she stood. Her friend had gotten herself into some hot water and only she could get herself out of it. "I don't know, but you better think fast. Old stick in the butt will be here soon."

"Shit," Kimberly mumbled. She turned her attention to her desk as she scoured folders and tips for another article to write. White paper flew off her desk haphazardly, her eyes skimming through anything that garnered her attention. "You have anything for me," Kimberly asked desperately.

Looking down to her friends hands, she noted a thick folder. She practically lunged over her desk to retrieve the object. Her eyes lit up as soon as she read the headline, " _CIA Hiding a Government Secret."_ Her lips parted as she began coming up with all the ways she could turn this story into the biggest one of the year. She mumbled to herself as she paced back and forth, already writing the article in her head. "That's perfect. I can expose them for-"

"-Sorry, Kim," Lily grimaced as she took the folder back into her hands, "that ones taken."

"By who?"

"Me."

"Traitor," Kimberly side eyed jokingly.

Lily smiled, playfully flipping off her friend in the process. That was just their relationship. "What, I gotta cover my ass."

"Well, what else is there?"

" _Well..._ " Lily began as she moved the bottom folder she held in her hands over to the top. A good journalist always has a backup, and although this next story could either break or make her career, she figured her best friend could use the extra help. But it was definitely a risk.

"What is it?"

"It's a good one," Lily tried her best to sound believable while she held out the file for Kim to take, "but you may not be up for it."

"Gimme, Gimme." Kimberly looked at her friend blankly before taking the file. Honestly, she was desperate at this point. It could have been about anything and she would have gladly accepted it... Well, _almost_ anything.

"Power Rangers," Kimberly scoffed with a raised brow, her eyes turned to her friend that currently wore a wrinkled nose, "You've got to be kidding me."

Lily's arms went out, trying to ration with Kimberly, "Look, It's not _so_ bad."

She shook her head, tossing the folder she just received on her desk in a loud _thud_ , "Is there anything else?"

"Kim," Lily spoke softly.

"And I mean anything; a new skate park, a lady falling in the street, a Blockbusters going out of business?"

"Sorry," Lily half shrugged, "That's all there is."

Kimberly paused momentarily, staring at the folder that laid on her desk. She had so much history with the Power Rangers, but opening up that can of worms was something she didn't know if she could do. There was a reason why she left in the first place. She licked her drying lips as she found this uncontrollable need to drink water. Her fingers ran across the folder before she shut her eyes tightly. Exhaling deeply, she shook her head, "No way. I can't do that."

"Oh, come on. You said you grew up in Angel Grove. That's the home of the originals," Lily insisted. Kimberly remained at a divide, but the face she made suggested that she could have her mind changed if she tried hard enough. "You must have some sentimental ties to them. This is perfect for you."

"Yeah, like ten years ago," Kimberly snorted, rolling her eyes as she sighed heavily. "No one cares about them anymore."

Jesus. This woman was so stuck in her ways that nothing could change her mind. With her hands on her hips, she snapped, "Well, it's your best shot!"

She wouldn't go back to that. She couldn't. "I have to find something better."

Lily's mind raced, she had to come up with something that would get Kimberly to choose it. If she didn't, she was sure that Kimberly would be a goner. There may have been a part of her that was doing it for selfish reason. Not having Kimberly in the office anymore would mean she would have no one to talk to beside the older lady that wore hand-knit sweaters, only talked about her 13 cats, and weirdly enough smelled like hot tuna. She was not going to have that.

"That's all we have, but I heard that the public is furious with them. So many casualties with these rangers. The mayor is even calling them _inexperienced_ and the worst in _history_ ," she continued as she put her fingers up in air quotes. "They're even trying to sign a petition to get them removed from Reefside. It's so bad that I'm sure you can find a way to convince them to give you a tell all, and in return you'd write a fabulous article to get the public on their side again."

Actually, that sounded absolutely brilliant, but she couldn't get one hundred percent on board. On the other hand, if it meant helping out her fellow rangers then she could change her mind. She had a lot of thinking to do.

"The mayor, really?" She asked in mild surprise. They must be really bad for the mayor to want to protest. Angel Grove had always been nothing but supportive and accepting of her when she was a ranger. They even gave them their own Power Rangers Day. "I just–I don't know.."

No more than two seconds later her office door was abruptly opened. 58-year-old Carrie Smith charge inside, fingers wagging as he began his move towards Kimberly. "Kim, I've been meaning to talk to you about your job, I think it's the best interest in the company if you just—"

Kimberly's eyes widened in horror as she stared at her best friend, both ladies mouthing every curse word in the book. Scurrying towards her new visitor, Kimberly turned on her charm while she patted the gentleman's back, "Carrie, how's my best boss doing?

He turned towards her, seething as he did so. He came for one mission and one mission only. Although Kimberly had been a great asset to the team, there was only so much he could look over. "Now, I don't want to hear it, Kim, this is the third meeting this month that you've missed. I want you to start packing up your office."

Kimberly did her absolute best to show remorse, her doe eyes turned down as she pouted, "Listen, I'm sorry I wasn't at the meeting today, but I was getting the inside scoop on biggest, juiciest story for you."

"Oh, yeah? What?"

"Um..." Kimberly eyes widened again, throwing a fearful expression to her best friend. She was hoping he wouldn't care enough to ask.

The ladies stared at one another as they tried to pull an article out of their asses. Lily's brows raised as an idea popped in her head while Kimberly's contorted. Kimberly shook her head, knowing full well what her friend had in mind.

"Power Rangers!" Lily shouted with a gleeful smile. Kimberly's head dropped into her hand at the sound of her voice. There was going to be a WWE smackdown as soon as Carrie left.

"Power Rangers? They're still around," he asked in confusion.

"Um... Yes! Yes, they are," Lily smirked. Swatting Kimberly's arm out of the way, she threw an arm around her boss as she walked with him around the office.

Kimberly's heated gaze hell on her friends neck as she shook her head. All Lily could do was smile as she knew she could get her boss to give Kimberly a second chance.

"Carrie, Kimberly was just telling me that she has sources that have confirmed that power rangers are active in Reefside. Poor suckers are despised by the public. With Kimberly's obvious charm we can convince them for a sit down interview and share their side of the story. She can get you the biggest story of the year," she put her arm out, portraying a visual representation of a newsworthy article, "Imagine the headline, _POWER RANGERS: Exclusive Interview_! We can put our newspaper back on the map."

His eyes too lit up, already foreseeing the rise in sales. "Ooh, I like the sound of that," he grinned. "They've always been so reserved. An exclusive is just what this newspaper needs," his fingers gently stroked his chin before he turned to Kimberly, "You can do this?"

Kimberly was in full panic mode, she could get it done if it was absolutely necessary, but she didn't _want_ to do it. "Wh-well, I don't-" she stammered before being cut off.

"—Yes she can, she just needs some time," Lily interrupted, ignoring Kimberly's grumble.

"You're sure you can get me that exclusive?" He had to be sure. There was too much at stake.

"She's certain," Lily beamed, her smile erasing all worries from Carrie's mind.

"Alright, alright! I'm gonna take a chance on you. Just one! Get it done! You have 2 weeks," and with that said, Carrie exited the room. Sealing Kimberly's fate and assignment.

"Shit," Kimberly groaned, her eyes moved to her friend who wore an innocent smirk. "Wow, you sounded mighty convincing. Are you gonna be helping me or what?"

"No, this is all you, honey. You've got this."

"I just don't think it's a good idea to try and find them. They're private for a reason." Kimberly remembered all too well how much she struggled to keep her ranger life private, not only from her parents, but from friends she had outside of the Rangers themselves. Trying to find them wouldn't be an easy task, and if she wasn't careful, she knew she would come head to head with danger. That's when it hit her. Maybe her dream really was a warning. Maybe it was something she shouldn't be messing with.

"Kim, this is your only shot... If not, it was nice knowing you."

"Damn it..." She swore under her breath.

"What is it?"

Kimberly's arms dropped to her sides in frustration, "I'm screwed. How can I find people that don't want to be found?"

"Well, you were journalist of the year two years in a row, if anyone can find out, it's you."

That was such a true statement. Kimberly was sure she had the right connections to be able to get a hold of the new rangers, but she wasn't sure if calling a favor to one of her friends was such a good idea— well, she didn't even know if she could still call them that. They _were_ her friends then, but that was a completely different lifetime ago. She hadn't even seen most of them since Muranthias, and well, the others she saw and briefly spoke to a few years back at Trini's funeral.

As her mind traveled back to 2001, she recalled how distraught Jason was. His feelings for Trini were ones that Kimberly always knew he had, but he never acted on. Zack huddled around Jason offering him emotional support as Trini's loving family and friends sat in dread, mourning the loss of their precious loved one. They looked just as she remembered, not a hair different from either one of them. Billy was still in Aquatar when it happened, and as far as she knew, he was still there. Then there was Tommy. She wasn't sure if she had seen him that day. As she was leaving the memorial, she accidentally brushed up against a man that vaguely resembled him. Whether that was him, she still didn't know. Her memories shattered her heart. She hadn't spoken to himin a really long time, it's been years. So long in fact that she wasn't even sure she remembered the sound of his voice, but one thing is for certain, she couldn't forget the way he made her feel. If ever there was a guy that could make her knees quake, it was Tommy Oliver. "I just... I don't know."

"Come on, Kim. Flick your hair, show some leg. There are obviously guys on the team. Use your flirtatious charm to get what you want."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin," she sighed in exhaustion as she slumped into her chair. Her eyes turned to her desk that still had the ridiculous article she had written earlier. She crumpled it up in her hands before she flicked it over her left shoulder. Her right hand swam through her hair and down her face in frustration. Swiveling in her chair, she took the framed picture that had sat in her desk for the past four years. Her fingers traced lightly over the picture of the person she admired the most, Barbara Walters. She spoke to it in complete desperation, "Oh, Barbara, crowned queen of all things media and journalism, majestic unicorn sent from up above, what would you do?"

"My sweet Kimberly," Lily spoke in her best iconic Barbara Walters voice, causing Kimberly to giggle in the process, "go to Reefside."

* * *

Darkness had overtaken the room aside from a low spotlight. Multicolored test tubes and beakers bubbled over a low flame, steam violently expelling from the spout. A single clock ticked second by second as they awaited for a ringing from a set timer.

In the center of the room laid a large mess of a being on an reclined gurney. A grunted exhale was released in a huff when the straps tightened around the scaly texture of his claw like hands and feet. A sharp _whip_ engulfing the silence in the room in one fluid motion as the tension from the rope was heard.

Elsa watched her master with her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing as a corner of her lip raised into a malevolent smile. Their plan was coming along perfectly.

"Make it tighter," Mesogog hissed.

"As you wish," Elsa nodded

He growled lowly as Elsa did just as she was told. The thick skin on his arms and legs oozed red ever so slightly as the straps cut into him. Elsa watched him tentatively, the last time they attempted this it didn't go very well.

"Make sure that under no circumstances that this body is able to get free," he sneered, his eyes glowing bright yellow as Elsa winced.

"It's always been secure," she responded timidly.

They've only had success with this once before. The last time it took Mesogog weeks to recover. She recalled how he threw her across the room at her failure. He spared her life while she watched him single handedly destroy every tyrannodrone in the room. If they failed again, she wasn't sure if he would be so forgiving.

A loud _ding_ from the timer broke her thoughts. Her head moved in the direction of the sound, noting what it meant.

"It's ready," she confirmed as Mesogog nodded.

"Bring in the prisoner," she yelled into the distance.

Two reptilian like men busted inside, dragging a feeble man in a suit by each arm and tossing him forward into the light.

"Please, I'm begging you, don't hurt me again," the elderly man sobbed as he curled up in a ball, tightly clutching his ribs.

"Mayor Neil Abrams," Elsa spoke huskily, "I think you've done this enough to know how it works."

She ordered the guards to place the man in an adjacent gurney, metal clamps acting as his restraint. The mayor cried out as he pleaded for his freedom. He was met with a malicious laughter from both Mesogog and Elsa, his request was absurd.

Carefully walking towards Mesogog, she put the lip of the beaker to his mouth, slowly guiding the blue liquid from the container to his throat.

"This will ensure that you can switch back to your—"

"—I know what it does," he barked furiously. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she finished pouring the contents.

She grabbed the other beaker that rested on the table and moved to the restrained elderly man. She fed him the contents as well, Mayor Abrams face scrunching up bitterly as he finished every last drop.

An enormous machine was placed above the two restrained men, an eerie silenced sunk into Mayor Abrams gut as he trembled in fear. Elsa smiled wickedly as she saw the man stare at her in horror. She nodded to Mesogog as he gave her the go ahead to press the red button she held in her hand. A flash of bright red lasers scanned them from head to toe, steam erupting from the head of the giant laser beam. The machine shook as the power was intensified. The elderly man cried in pain as the laser overtook him, slowly going limp as he felt his body not become his anymore. A severe numbness trickling up from his toes up his legs.

Mesogog roared as the laser continued, a violent heat rolling through his body in a merciless wave of fire.

The machine beeped as smoke exploded from its vent. The two men glowed in a cornea burning white light for seconds before they went back to their normal state.

Elsa watched the two men carefully, noting that both men seemed drained. She walked over to the elderly man, her hand hovering over him as she felt the heat still fresh on his body.

Before her hand made contact, his eyes snapped open. The dilated pupils glowed bright yellow before he blinked twice and they reverted to a deep brown.

Elsa smiled in triumph, quickly undoing the metal clamps from the elderly man.

He stood abruptly, his eyes trailing down himself as he took in his new body. Where the once kind and honest mayor stood, there now was the same figure, but a different man inside. Mesogogs transfer worked wonderfully once again.

She sighed in relief as she knew she would live another day.

Mesogog smiled villainously as he adjusted the knot on his tie.

He began his move to the automatic metal doors, passing his former reptilian body in the process. "Sedate him," he demanded.

* * *

 **Author Note** : And there is the first chapter! What do you guys think? I honestly had so much fun writing this and I planned on getting this out way later, but I just couldn't help myself. The eerie/evilness is something that I didn't have the opportunity to dive into in my last story. I've got some great things coming up with this one. As always make sure to leave me your feedback in the review section or go ahead and shoot me a PM. I'm always dying to know what you guys think and what I need to improve on. I haven't actually seen Dino Thunder so I want to apologize now incase I happen to get some things wrong, but I'm doing my best to research.


	2. Chapter 2

**Reefside High School**

 **Thursday, March 25, 2004**

 **Reefside, CA**

 **1:43PM**

Bright rays from the sizzling sun illuminated the heated classroom, the wooden panels of the window panes offered some relief to the students. A variety of shadows from the seniors painted the floor black, cascading an abstract piece of art.

At the head of the classroom stood Tommy Oliver, the wise and experienced science teacher. A much different man than his high school counterpart. His signature chocolate brown locks were cut, now relishing in the fact that he had much less hair to worry about. Long gone are his days of ponytails and now sports a more sophisticated spiked do. His built physique upgraded, larger and wider muscles now resting where they previously were. Although he didn't start using glasses until college, his wire rimmed spectacles were left at home today, opting for the more practical use of contacts.

He continued his lecture in confidence, ignoring the obvious yawns and eye rolls from his students. Time seemed to move so slow to the abundance of students that sat in dread in the classroom. Almost as slow as the millions of years their teacher kept talking about.

"And that brings us to the end of the Jurassic Period," Tommy grinned.

His hand moved across the chalk board from one side to the other. Demonstrating the years passing on a timeline he had created earlier that day; millions of years, lives, and memories, minimized to mere inches on a board.

He stood tall in front of his senior students. A small pride swelled in his chest as he skimmed across every single one. He'd come so far in terms of his professional life. Everything was so different from what he envisioned doing when he was a kid sitting in a classroom just like this over ten years ago. Up until a few months ago, his rangers days were behind him. He hadn't even looked at a morpher in years, excluding that one time he had to fight alongside the rest of the red rangers. At age nineteen he discovered that the adrenaline junky that lived inside of him wanted a break, so he did just that. He left his turbo life behind him and gave up his racing wheels. College was an experience to say the least, his time was spent fully on his academics. Even if he wanted to, he had no time for anything else. He pushed himself to exceed his limitations and graduated with top honors. With the help of one very brilliant redhead, of course.

His hard work paid off because shortly after graduating he was recruited to join Anton Mercer at a dig site. He recalled those memories with ease, the aroma of the freshly dug dirt was forever engraved in his senses. What stunned him the most was when Anton revealed that they weren't only recruited for a dig, but to work on dinosaur DNA. Anton, Tommy, and another recruit Terrance Smith or Smitty as he often referred to him, worked diligently day and night to uncover the secrets behind it, hopeful that whatever they would discover would make the world a better place and change the future.

Tommy did just that, but not in the way he intended. His research helped him create what he and Anton named Tyrannodrones. They were supposed to fight with the Armed Forces side by side, taking on the more dangerous tasks to save lives, but something happened. He still wasn't sure just yet, but he knew enough to know that something went wrong.

The day of destruction as he nicknamed began like almost any other day. He was scheduled to work in the research lab, but he felt a pull to the dig site. With a bit of begging he was able to persuade Smitty into switching with him, leaving Tommy with full access into the site while his colleague took his place in the lab. He had a certain kick to his step on the particular gloomy day as he walked from the dirt filled dig site to the research center to show Anton what he had discovered, his khaki pants evenly covered in mud and debris. He'd found what appeared to be gems from the asteroid that had caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, but before he was able to show Anton Mercer what he had found, he had been attacked by the own Army he had helped create.

A large creature he later learned was Mesogog ordered the Tyrannodrones to seize him, he barely made it off the island alive. He tried to find his good friend Smitty, but the army wouldn't let off. The island blew up as he dove into the murky ocean; his work, research, and other recruits all perishing with it. He still blamed himself for losing Smitty, it should have been him. Anton mercer was another one he thought he had lost, but a few months ago he showed up in Reefside. However, he had changed, the destruction of the island traumatized him in ways Tommy would never understand. Anton was a shell of who he used to be.

He put that life behind him, instead opting to move forward with his teaching career, and in his spare time protect the Dino Gems from being taken by the wrong hands. Everything had been going perfectly, but soon enough his dreams and hopes for a quiet and reserved life in Reefside became derailed when the colorful teens that seemed to want to be anywhere but in class came into his life.

His attention fell to the teens he grew to love and respect, a small chuckle threatened to come out as he noted how different they were to when he was their age. Where these kids would rather spend all their time either goofing off or playing video games, he would spend his time training and learning about the enemy... Okay, he made time for a certain pink ranger too. Okay, okay, _two_ pink rangers. Both wonderful and great relationships in their own right, but both painful memories he chose to not think about, one more so than the other.

His lesson continued to the dismay of his students, not that it mattered anyway. He was sure he was merely background noise to their daydreaming. Most of them were either barely awake, simply staring out the window, or fiddling with their cell phone... Wait, one looked to be surprisingly paying attention.

Kira doodled on her jeans absentmindedly, painfully counting down the minutes until the Devils ringtone came on in the form of a school bell. Trent was so lost in the paper before him. The white ranger carefully shaded the sections that required absence of light, his eyes narrowed as he concentrated deeper and deeper into his new masterpiece. Ethan played with the pencil in his hand, twirling it back and forth on his desk between his fingers. His eyes remained pinned on the ticking clock above the door, sighing as he did so in complete and total boredom. It wasn't that their teacher was boring, it was just that the subject was.

And then there was Conner. The fearless leader that was thrusted into a position when he wasn't ready, but overcame all obstacles to prove he was. Tommy couldn't be more proud of the Red Ranger. His ability to take control and lead the team to defeat evil without his help taught him he seriously underestimated the teen. It only confirmed his suspicion that the Dino Gems really did know what they were doing and chose the right recipient.

Conner clutched his beloved soccer ball tightly to his chest, his head bobbing up and down as he struggled to stay awake. His forehead fell on his soccer ball as a sudden need to sleep overcame him. His head shot up abruptly as soon as his forehead and ball kissed, his body readjusting in his seat as he stared at his mentor and teammate. He wasn't the best student, but he tried, he really did. His grades had been slowly declining, so he needed to pay extra attention; but no matter how hard he tried, it all sounded like complete gibberish.

"Next, we have the _blah_ Period, which happens to _blah_ one of my _blah, blah._ It'sthe closet to _blah, blah, blah,_ we get to see exciting _blah, blah—"_ Conner blinked hard, two fingers touching the delicate skin of his ear and moving it to help clear his canal. His lips parting as he tried with all his might to really listen to what his teacher was saying. There was no way he was actually saying what he was hearing. The red wearing rangers eyes widened, foolishly thinking that the simple gesture would help him hear better.

The bell came suddenly, students lazily jumped from their seats, groaning in exhaustion as they knew they had to continue on with their uneventful day. As much as Reefside was prone to attack, the students seemingly were never lucky enough to get school off.

"Alright, we'll continue our journey through the Cretaceous Period tomorrow," Tommy spoke enthusiastically, his hands rubbed back and forth as he continued, "Be sure to read chapter twenty-nine to thirty-one and pick up a worksheet on your way out." He shook his head as he heard the collective groans from the class, a faint smile to creeping up his lips, "Just because spring break is coming up next week doesn't mean we won't be working hard."

Tommy watched as his students disappeared from the class. His eyes rolled when Cassidy Cornell, the school reporter, spoke over her shoulder to her cameraman, Devin. He didn't exactly catch what she said, but he was able to make out something about how she wished she was back in the Cretaceous Period so she could avoid his lecture. There always had to be someone in the class that had to have some snarky comment.

The Ranger students stayed back, mumbling something about an assignment they needed help on to hold their cover.

Conner caught the raised brow his mentor was shooting at him, fully understanding that the look meant he was going to get chewed out for falling asleep in class. He walked over to the front of the class in lazy steps with his soccer ball passed back and forth between his hands, yawning in both exhaustion and boredom. It wasn't his fault they had to deal with a monster yesterday until way past curfew.

"Conner, that's the third time this week you've fallen asleep in class."

"I know, but can you blame me? We haven't had a night off in weeks. You should be the cool teacher and play a movie tomorrow like _The_ _Land Before Time_ or _Jurassic Park_ or something? I'd stay awake for that."

"Oh, I love those movies! Damn, Little Foot still makes me cry," Kira added. "But _Jurassic Park_ , I am totally cool with that. When are we watching it?"

She smiled brightly as she joined her two teammates, one arm clutched her strap as her backpack hung off one shoulder. The yellow ranger was more than hopefully for a break from class. Being a ranger was something she had grown to love, but the constant battles left her sore on most days. Leaving her overly exhausted to do anymore studying that normal.

Tommy nearly sprained his eyeballs in frustration. Of course they'd try to find an easy way out. He wasn't trying to be the cool teacher. He knew how hard it was for them and that a break would do them well, but being easy on them would get them nowhere in life. A good educator always pushed their students to their full potential.

"Guys, that's not educational."

"Ehh, I think it is." The white ranger spoke while he put his notebook inside his backpack from his desk. It would be just like his teacher to dismiss their ideas.

"It sure taught me not to mess with a T-Rex."

Ethan couldn't agree more with his teammates. Mesogog had taken a toll on his body, the constant battle with the Tyrannodrones, Elsa, Zeltrax, and whatever monster of the week they had to deal with had him utterly exhausted. He needed a break. It was bad enough that he had to pay extra attention in his other classes to keep up with the demanding ranger schedule, but to have to work just as hard in his science class was overkill. If anyone could understand how much pressure they were under it was Dr. Oliver, so he couldn't understand why he wasn't cutting them some slack.

"You should watch it Dr. O," Connor continued before he stifled a laugh, "Maybe then you wouldn't have kicked that one outside the museum."

Tommy grunted, shaking his head as he recalled one of his dumbest moves, "I never should have told you guys that."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have," Kira grimaced. Not one of her mentors brightest stunts, but it sure gave them one hell of a laugh.

She was soon joined with laughter from the rest of the Rangers as they spoke in unison, "but we're so glad you did."

Tommy's head hung briefly before he strolled over to close his classroom door in fear of having anyone over hear their conversation.

"Alright, you've had your laughs, now down to business." Tommy struggled to not die of embarrassment that moment. He sighed as he leaned on the edge of his desk, his hands gripping the grainy, golden oak wood at his sides. "Last nights battle seemed way too easy."

"Easy," the Rangers mumbled in confusion under their breath. The Jupiter monster wasn't as easy as their mentor made it seem, in fact, far from it.

Ignoring their comment, the black ranger continued, "I almost feel like they were trying to keep us distracted. Guys, I seriously fear that something bigger is headed our way."

Trent nearly snorted from laughter. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. With spring break coming up in a few days, he was hopeful that they would at least get a little bit of a break. Villains should get tired too, shouldn't they? "Dr. O I don't mean to undermine your instincts, but isn't something bigger _always_ headed our way."

"No, this is different. I don't know, I can't explain it, but I know it's not good."

Tommy watched the disappointment on his students faces, it mirrored his own. He knew how difficult it must be for them, especially considering that the public wasn't exactly on their side at the moment, but this threat was bigger than the teenagers. This was to maintain the balance between good and evil, and sometimes no matter how much you hate it or how much it might cost you, it was worth the fight. The safety and lives of the citizens of Reefside rested in their hands.

And it wasn't just that, there was something deep within himself that kept sending roaring alarms. Since the moment he awoke today, he knew his life was about to become way more eventful. Yesterday marked the end of one chapter and today marked the beginning of his new life. Chilling and thrilling all at once. He just hoped that whatever popped up today was for the better. Today everything would change.

"Cheer up, Guys. We'll talk more later. Let's meet at Haley's after school."

"Alright," Trent nodded, followed by understanding nods from the yellow and blue ranger as well. They departed as the red ranger stayed back for a moment longer.

"Ugh, Dr. O," Conner spoke, one hand massaging the knot on his neck, "I actually have practice so I'm gonna be a bit late. Is that cool?"

Tommy listened on. If Zordon taught him anything it was that the ranger duties, while important, aren't meant to hold anyone back from other aspirations. "Yeah, just make sure to meet after practice, and keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

Conner expelled a huge sigh of relief. " _Thank_ _God, I thought he was going to be a huge hard ass about it,"_ he thought to himself.

Tommy stared at the red ranger blankly before shooting him a questionable glare. He let a few heartbeats go by before speaking up, "Conner, you do realize that you didn't just _think_ that, you actually said it out loud, don't you?"

Oh, shit. Did he really? He must have been more exhausted than he thought. Conner chuckled nervously, taking short backward steps towards the door. "Thanks, again. You're the best," Conner fled, now more awake than ever.

Tommy remained leaned back on the edge of his desk, his fingers tenderly massaging the bridge of his nose as he enjoyed his quiet for the next few minutes before the next class began. He was sure these kids would be the death of him.

"Hi, Dr. Oliver," the sultry voice came from Principal Randall.

She peered over the door, only half her body visible as she clung tight to the doorframe. Soft chatter came from the colorful spectrum of the student body as they walked down the hall to their next classes, dragging feet and groans followed behind them. The visual representation of a zombie apocalypse happening outside his classroom.

Tommy's head lifted and turned to find the pixie haired brunette, he gulped as he watched her strut suggestively. His body tensing as he became increasingly uncomfortable, now physically alone with her in his classroom.

His pulse quickened before he cleared his drying throat, "What can I do for you, Principal Randall?"

She smiled wickedly, her eyes giving him a quick once over as she came to a halt before him, entirely too close for his comfort. "Just checking on my facility. Are the students giving you any trouble?"

"Not at all," he managed to say. His body slowly leaned back from his position, trying with all his might to create distance between the two.

"Are you sure," she continued, now inching closer and closer to minimize the distance between the two. "You know I could always punish them."

Her hand came to rest over his, the act startling him. His hand retracted as if her single touch burned him.

Tommy wasn't completely oblivious to Principal Randall's flirtation. He knew she had a crush on him since the moment he first stepped into the school last semester. She was a lovely woman... on the outside, but her heart reeked on the inside. And if life ever taught him anything, it was that while someone could be beautiful on the outside, their insides could be filled with such selfishness that it made them utterly repulsive. That's right, Scorpina was hot. Who did you think he was talking about?

"N-No, it's okay, thank you," Tommy stuttered.

He broke the distance by moving swiftly to his chalk board. With his back towards her, he began erasing the timeline without a second thought in the world before he realized he still needed it for next period. He could feel her gaze burning on the back of his neck, feeling like a defenseless gazelle to a hungry Lion. "Anything else I can do for you?"

Principal Randall's arms came to fold over her chest, a half irritated smile plastering her face. Although she could be a dangerous villain when she wanted to, that didn't mean she couldn't find the human inside of her and find certain science teachers attractive. She wasn't stupid though, she'd rather tear her heart out herself than ever develop any real feelings for someone who was on the wrong side of evil. No, this was strictly business, she had to keep her eye on the enemy. "Any plans for spring break?"

Tommy remained with his back towards her as he began to redraw the timeline he spent a while perfecting earlier.

"Just hoping to enjoy some alone time and get some peace and quiet."

That was truer than any statement he had ever made before. He sincerely hoped he could do that, but that didn't mean he would. Mesogog had something up his gigantic sleeve, but he didn't know what just yet, and until that mystery was solved, he wasn't going to be getting much rest.

"Aren't we all," she chuckled, her slim fingers twirled a short lock as she found her hair. "Peace and quiet is something I often seek. I could always join you, keep you company."

Tommy gulped, women were always a touchy subject with him. He'd had his share of dates and girlfriends, but no matter how many times he'd been with a woman, they still made him nervous. It could be anyone from a top model to a 97 year old woman that had teeth like a newborn, but he would still be a blubbering idiot. His mind wandered to the simpler times of yesteryear, perfectly recalling how he had to have Jason and Zack coach him on how to finally ask out Kimberly. Now that was a mess if there ever was one. That was probably the most nervous he'd ever been with a woman, not only because he found her insanely attractive, but because she was the first woman aside from his mother that he truly cared about. And although Principal Randall wasn't exactly his type, she was still a woman, and any unwanted female attention was just uncomfortable for him. Funny how he could battle monsters and pilot zords, but a simple woman could be his weakness. Any woman besides Elsa that is, strangely enough, he could fight her like he could fight any man.

" _Too bad she wasn't in the room,_ " he thought foolishly.

He turned on the heel of his foot, "That's a generous offer, really, but I think it kind of defeats the purpose of the whole alone part if I'm not, you know, _alone_."

That's when she gave him the single sentence that would cause his throat to close.

"We could be alone together."

Hot. Tommy suddenly felt the heat flow from his body in the form of perspiration. He chuckled nervously as sweat began to coat his palms. His fingers tugged at his shirt collar, giving himself enough breeze to cool his neck. He cleared his throat as his eyes moved to the students slowly trickling in the classroom, never being more thankful for a class full of teenagers.

Just outside the door were two nosy students, one demanding and overbearing blonde, and her lackey.

Cassidy's lips parted before she squealed in delight.

"Did you hear that, Devin? Principal Randall and Dr. Oliver are in a steamy love affair. This is so good," she clapped with glee, "Roll the camera, get a shot of their blossoming love in its infancy."

Devin followed her command, propping the camera on his right hand. He pressed the record button, capturing their elders interaction.

Cassidy watched intently, her hands rubbing back and forth like a fly. She knew she was about to have something big on her hands soon. "This could be the perfect newsworthy headline to start us back after Spring Break."

"You don't think this is actually, I don't know, wrong? We're invading people's privacy."

"When did you grow some morals?" Cassidy's scowled at him.

His eyes grew as her face contorted, she was scary when she was mad, but oh so gorgeous.

"It's just... I don't know, seems kind of wrong sneaking around like this."

"Are you challenging me," she snapped. "I am the star reporter that comes up with all the brilliant ideas, and you're my performing monkey. You're suppose to stand there and film, not offer any of your unsolicited thoughts."

Devin sunk deep into his shoulders, gulping as he did so. The camera shook in his hand, recording a choppy mess. He was never going to question Cassidy again.

* * *

Later that day

Reefside, CA

4:45 PM

"Wow, Captain," 17-year-old Tiffany said breathlessly, she twirled a lock of her golden blonde hair between her finger as she smiled wildly at Conner. "That's impressive."

The red ranger leaned on a bike rack outside the Cyberspace Cafe. Practice had ended earlier than expected that afternoon and while he should be inside getting a brief from Dr. Oliver, he opted to use his free time and see if he could score any points with the tall blonde shooting him googly eyes. So what if he was late, he didn't plan on being on time anyway. Smiling smugly, he winked at the blue eyed beauty.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't be anywhere without my team. They work really hard cheering me on as I score goal after goal."

The teenage girl fluttered her silky long eyelashes, her cheeks tinted rosy pink. She was utterly smitten by the soccer star.

"Can you show me some of your moves?"

Conner smiled egotistically, giving the young blonde a quick once over as he bit on his bottom lip. The young girl had been his eye candy for the last few days, and she seemed eager to get to know the red ranger in many ways. He respected women for the most part, but he wasn't about to turn down her advances. She could make for a great distraction from the torturous training Tommy wanted them to always do.

"Anything for a fan."

Conner bent from his leaned position, grabbing the soccer ball from his duffel bag.

"Are you sure you can do it?"

He chuckled, shaking his head at how she doubted his serious soccer skills. He put his finger to her full lips, shutting her up right there.

"Yeah, watch and be amazed, babe."

He stood with the bottom of his right foot on the ball on the ground before him. He rolled the ball to the top of his foot, flawlessly juggling it from one foot to the other. He grinned as he watched her jaw drop, her hands went to cover her giddy smile. Feeling his ego jump start, he decided to advance his trick, one that he hadn't perfected just yet. As he continued to juggle the ball, he kicked it across and over his leg, making contact with the heel of his foot and back over to the front, returning to the simple juggle between both feet. He watched her eyes widen in surprise, a small squeal expelling from within as she found the young soccer player very impressive.

Seeing the success it hand the first time, he attempted to try the foot to heel trick once more. As the ball was tossed from his foot to his heel, he lost his balance, and accidentally back kicked the ball into the air. He cringed as the ball went out of his control.

" _12th street, 12th street_... Hmm, this doesn't look right—" Kimberly spoke to herself softly, her eyes trained down into the paper map in her hands as she walked slowly down the Reefside sidewalk.

The soccer ball continued its journey, flying high above the sidewalk and right into the face of an innocent bystander.

 _"OW_!" Kimberly never saw the ball coming. The radiating heat from its powerful impact burned her lips as she dropped into an ungraceful _thud_ on the floor.

Conner winced, his head sinking into his shoulders like a turtle for a brief second before scuttling off to the brunette he just striked. "Oh, shit!

"Oh, God. Is she okay?" Tiffany cringed as she stayed back and watching from afar. With her hands on her hips she addressed the red ranger, "Conner, you said you could do it."

He rolled his eyes at the blonde, giving her a dumbfounded glare. His eyebrows raised as he spoke what he though was obvious, "I was flirting."

Tiffany backtracked a few steps, needing to distance herself from the situation. As soon as the ball hit another person, she lost interest in the soccer stud. She scoffed before leaving, "Conner, I gotta go."

He ignored the girl that had garnered his attention before, now fully preoccupied in the woman before him. He came to his knees, as he went to her rescue. Her chocolate hair created a thick curtain around her face.

"Are you alright," he asked as he extended his right hand to her.

"Ow, ugh, I think so," she groaned, she accepted the young mans hand as she stood up and steadied herself.

She brushed her hair off her face, tucking a bronze strand of hair behind her ear before facing her assailant.

" _Oh my God..._ " She was drop dead gorgeous. Conners heart began racing, and he was sure that his eyes were already turning to cartoon shaped hearts with perfectly tuned harps playing in the background. He was in love. It didn't take him long to realize that the petite brunette now had a small breakage of skin in the corner of her mouth.

"You're bleeding."

She brought her fingers to the irritating crack, her index and middle finger coated with fresh blood as she inspected the substance. She dismissed him, smiling to show that she was okay. "I'm fine."

"No, No, you're not. Here," He pressed his hand on her lower back, guiding her to the cyber cafe doors, "let's go inside and I'll grab you some ice."

* * *

 **Author Note:** Well, Kimberly just met Conner! Wonder how that will play out! How do you guys think Tommy will react to Kimberly in Reefside? Hope you guys enjoyed this new chapter. I have some awesome things coming up really soon. As always let me know what you guys thing about this in the review section or shoot me a PM!


	3. Chapter 3

The popular hangout was packed. All throughout young teenagers sprinkled across the Cafe, the cracked voices of teenagers echoing off the walls. A close reminiscent of the Youth Center from back in the day. The huge wave of nostalgia was not lost with Kimberly, this town seemed all to familiar and she wasn't too sure that it was all just a huge coincidence. With a guiding hand on her back, she was led to a secluded table in the back where Conner would begin his journey for forgiveness.

"Kimberly, I am so deeply sorry. I was trying to impress this girl and—"

She raised her hand to stop him, waving at him dismissively. She didn't want to hear it, It was an accident. Just the consequence of a love struck teenager. She could relate once upon a time.

"Hey, you've apologized a million and one times. I'm fine."

"Yeah, but I mean, I hit you _really_ hard."

That was the last time he was going to do something so foolish. His eyes turned to catch the deep brown ones of the woman he injured who was clutching a bag of ice to her lips. There weren't enough words in the English language to be able to create the proper sentence to express how he felt. He couldn't contain the deep guilt that was churning in his gut, he opened his mouth to apologize once again, but was immediately cut off from a voice behind him.

"There you are! We've been waiting for you— Oh, sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Kira began her move towards Conner. She caught a glance of him from across the cafe. As she neared him, she found that he wasn't alone. Her gaze turned to the woman beside Connor. She smiled briefly before she winced, watching the woman as she soothed her face with ice.

"Oh, man. What happened to you?"

Connors eyes rolled, it wasn't like Kira to just start asking strangers such interrogating questions, but he was sure her curiosity had gotten the best of her.

"Kimberly, this is Kira; Kira, this is Kimberly," he motioned between the two women, Kimberly and Kira smiled to one another in meeting. Conner sighed before continuing, "I sort of hit her in the face with my soccer ball trying to impress Tiffany."

"Sort of? Dude, she's bleeding," Ethan stated the obvious as he joined the rest of his teammates.

The red ranger sighed in defeat, not needing the whole cafe to know what he had just done earlier.

"And that would be Ethan," he muttered under his breath.

Although it was because of her dismay, Kimberly couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. The teens banter back and forth was something she could relate to her best friend, total opposites in every way, but somehow totally compatible.

"Nice to meet you."

"You hit her in the face?" Trent couldn't help but over hear. He nodded to Kimberly before patting Conner on the back. "Damn, I knew you were bad, but I didn't know you were _that_ bad."

Conners face echoed the color of his shirt, he sunk deeper into his shoulders as the playful ridicule from his teammates weighed in. He was used to his friends teasing him every chance they had, but with the possibility of Kimberly being his future bride, he didn't want their first meeting to go like this. A guy can dream, right?

"I'm so sorry, Kimberly."

"Its okay, really," she insisted. "And you can call me Kim."

"Okay... Kim," Conner sighed deeply as he rested his chin on his hand, dreamy eyes glazed over. His eyelashes fluttered as he watched the petite brunette, oddly enough this left him feeling like a giddy teenage _girl_.

Kira's sat with a raised brow in her seat, her eyes darting back and forth between her red teenage teammate and the adult. Her head lifted, tilting like a dog when she heard the strangest sound.

"Does anybody else hear harps?"

By Kimberly's facial expression, she appeared a tad weirded out by Conners attention, but she was being polite as to not hurt his feelings. It wasn't the first time she captured a mans heart and it surely wouldn't be the last. She remained in her chair across from Connor with her legs crossed as she soothed her skin with an ice pack. The corners of her lips turned upwards in a weak smile while he watched her like a hawk.

A familiar whine neared the huddled group, followed by four footsteps and a chuckle. Cassidy had heard everything coming from the group, just another thing to add to her set list for the upcoming week.

"Nice going, Conner. You just made the returning Monday morning news. Get the camera ready, Devin," she ushered as he obliged. "That way we can show proof of how wanna be David Beckham cant juggle a ball, and also how he nearly killed a tourist."

Kira's scowl said it all. Although Cassidy wasn't a horrible person, she was still a nuisance.

"Don't pay any attention to the Manson family, Conner. We all know she's just looking for a story."

"Well, Cassidy is right. Conner was technically trying to show off before he was ready," Ethan defended.

Cassidy's always been a busy bee, needing the first scoop and getting it out there, never mind there being any real truth to it. So when the chance to humiliate the star soccer player presented itself, she couldn't help but be the first to cover it.

"Will you be pressing charges, tourist lady, ma'am?" Cassidy interrogated while Devins camera zoomed into Kimberly's face.

"Uh, no, and I'm not a tourist." She could see why the teens were so annoyed by their presence, they gave a very bulk and skull vibe, but in the not so comically stupid sort of way. "Can you please get the camera out of my face?"

Cassidy scowled as she pushed herself away from Kimberly, this mystery woman obviously didn't know who she was talking to. She was essentially Reefside High royalty.

Coming from hidden quarters of the employee lounge area, Haley made her appearance. The self appointed sixth member of the ranger group, helping fight the good battle from within and not in uniform. The brainy redhead join the group, smiling as she clutched an empty food tray.

"Hey, Guys."

"Hey, Haley," the ranger teens returned, Conners eyes remaining fixed on Kimberly.

"It's getting a little crowded in here. Do you guys wanna head to the back room with me really quick, I've got a job for you." This was essentially code word for ' _ranger staff meeting_.'

"Do I have to," Conner whined. He'd just gotten to meet Kimberly, he wasn't ready to let her out of sight. Especially for something as insignificant as the daily ranger meeting where they will hear the same things over and over again, but in different wording.

 _Geez, Dr. O sure does get repetitive._

"Yes, we've been waiting for you." Haley had been so preoccupied in trying to find the Rangers that she never once noticed Kimberly sitting beside her. Feeling incredibly impolite, she turned to greet her before finding her soothing her sore.

"Ay, are you alright?"

Did she really look that awful that everyone and their mother kept asking? She smiled to the redhead as she nodded, "I'm fine, thank you."

Hayley's lips parted, she wanted to know more. There was a customer in her Cafe that was injured, she needed to know if she was liable or not. Kira caught the questioning glare from Haley, she shook her head, answering what she had been wanting to ask.

"Conner hit her in the face with his soccer ball."

Conners lips pressed together in a tight fuse before throwing Kira a sarcastic smile. Through gritted teeth he responded, "Thanks for bringing that up again, Kira."

"Don't mention it," Kira smirked as she tossed Kimberly a playful wink.

"If you need more ice be sure to let me know," Haley offered.

Kim smiled politely. "Thank you, I will."

The group of rangers stood from their seats, following Haley back to the lounge where Dr. O would surely give them an earful about being late... Again.

God, Conner didn't want to leave. There was so much more he wanted to say. He was turning 18 in 3 weeks, if only she'd just wait for him.

He shot her an apologetic smile once more. Facing her, he spoke, "Sorry, again, Kimberl— Kim. I'll see you around."

She nodded as he blushed.

"Conner, thanks for the ice."

"No problem," his voice cracked before squealing in Kira's ear, "She said my name."

Kira stifled a snorted chuckle, "Conner, you're drooling."

Aside from the short mishap because of Conner, Reefside had been pretty nice. The people sure we're welcoming. If only she could get a lead on the power rangers, things would be great.

A harmonic humming echoed in Kimberly's ear, soothing the massive headache that was threatening to overtake her. Her ears fixed on the sound, twirling her head to get a better angle. As she turned, she found a smiling Cassidy continuing her solo while taming her ponytail in a compact mirror.

Kimberly smiled lightly as she made eye contact with the teen. If she had a camera man following her around, she must be important, right?

With Conner and his friends gone, she didn't think there was much left for her in the cafe. She had to keep searching for wherever 12th street was. The mayors office would be closing soon and she had to make it there on time to book an appointment for an interview.

She fiddled with the corner of the torn map in her hands, her index finger lapping back and forth with the thin paper.

She could ask Cassidy and try to find the place sooner, but she seemed too intense for her liking. She sighed, opting to find the place on her own.

She stood from her chair, grabbing her belongings in her hands. Two petite hands made contact with her slender shoulders, forcing her back down on the seat.

"Sit," Cassidy demanded curtly.

Kimberly could read people in a flash, wielding a certain sixth sense in empathy. So when Cassidy took the seat across from her with the fakest smile, she knew she was in for _something_. She'd dealt with mean girls all her teenage years. All from bitchy classmates jealous of her relationship with Tommy, girls thinking she was dating Jason, and all the way to girls hoping she would topple over during a gymnastics routine. Cassidy didn't really seem like that type, she seemed more of a girl that would pounce on you to get what she wanted, never minding anyone else's feelings. Sounded a lot like Kimberly recently.

"So, you're not a tourist," Cassidy stated flatly.

"Right," Kimberly returned the same.

Devin joined the two ladies, spinning the chair so the back rested to his front. "I've never seen you before."

Kimberly's eyes sought Cassidy's, wondering if the young teen too was trying to get a read on her. "Im actually a journalist. I'm here on assignment."

"Really?" Devin said in amusement. He seemed sweet. Very welcoming. The same can't be said for Cassidy who looked not at all impressed.

Her brow twitched as she stared down at Kimberly, "Never heard of you."

"She hasn't said her name, Cassidy," Devin defended before sinking his head back into his shoulders. Cassidy's arms crossed in a judgmental like lock in front of her, shooting daggers at Devin ten times over.

"What _is_ your name then?"

Did it matter? Never mind the fact that Kimberly had been a highly praised journalist for the last few years, she was sure that no matter what name she gave Cassidy, it wouldn't impress her.

"Kimberly Hart."

Cassidy's eyes bulged ever so briefly, a giddy girlish smile reaching the heavens, pearly whites shinning from her mouth. Her breath came rapidly, nearly hyperventilating as she learned she was face to face with one of her idols.

"Oh my God, you're _thee_ Kimberly Hart!" She squealed in delight. Devins confusion grew as he turned to face Kimberly who looked just as confused.

 _Never would have expected her to be a fan._

"No way," Cassidy beamed, she had to be sure she was the real deal. She mentally swore at herself for coming off so snotty, but she moved past it. Damn journalists and their lack of pictures.

"Way," Kimberly confirmed.

Cassidy moved to get closer to Kimberly, stealing the chair beside her. "Your piece on Brad and Jennifer made my year. I want to be just like you. I'm Cassidy Cornell in case you didn't catch it," she stuck her hand out, firmly shaking Kimberly's hand. "And this is Devin," she answered, never giving her sidekick the chance to introduce himself.

"It's so exciting to meet someone that wants to be a journalist too."

Cassidy nearly snorted from laughter, Kimberly sure was funny.

"Oh God, no. I want to be a news reporter." Cassidy clearly motioned to the camera resting on the table. "This face was meant to be seen."

Authoritative and narcissistic, two deadly combinations.

"So, Kim," Cassidy began, "Can I call you Kim? What brings you to reefside?"

"Sure and..." She wasn't too sure if she should say, but on the other hand, a resident of Reefside would offer up some valuable information. Letting a few heartbeats go by, she answered, "Power Rangers."

"You're here to find out their identities too," Devin, who had maintained relatively silent finally spoke.

"No, I'm just here trying to see if I can get an interview with them."

Cassidy watched her idol in complete and total awe, a complete 180 from what she had been doing earlier.

"I admire you so much," she grinned, she composed herself before move forward. Announcing her very own story to the goddess she wished to be like. "I'm working on a story of my own too. Ive got a hot scoop on a secret love affair between my science teacher and principal."

Normally Kimberly would be all over that, giving her tips on how to really dig deep into finding that scoop. But with Lily reminding her how much heartache it can cause victims, she couldn't allow that to happen. Not to more innocent people.

"Wouldn't that hurt them?"

"Not any different than you with Brad and Angelina," Cassidy smirked smugly.

"I know."

Damn, how was it possible that this 17-year-old was making her feel horrible? Kimberly remained in deep thought, quietly wallowing in self pity.

It took only seconds of silence for Cassidy and Devin to share two mind reading grins. If the pendant light hanging above the table wasn't already on, Cassidy was sure her brilliant idea would have had enough power to generate such a response.

She nodded to her sidekick, ready to share that bit of genius, "You know, finding the Power Rangers would be a lot easier with our help."

Kimberly's voice lowered, inching herself closer to the young blonde, "You know something?"

Cassidy shot Kimberly a knowing glare, grinning with glee as she did so, "I may know a thing or two, but it's gonna cost you."

Kimberly rolled her eyes and turned, grabbing her designer wallet to pay for the informations she desperately needed.

"Oh, not money," Cassidy nearly snorted from laughter. "What I want, money can't buy."

Oh, no. If this girl was anything like Kimberly, she knew the stakes were going to be high. Why does it sound like it would be way easier to pay Cassidy off?

"I want a credit in your paper and a letter of recommendation from you. Also, while I'm helping you, if anything were to come up where I need your help, you have to be there."

"You want me to be your willing slave."

"Basically," Cassidy bobbled her head in celebration.

"And you, Devin?"

"Nothing, ma'am. It's honestly just an honor working with a legend like yourself."

Wasn't he just the sweetest? She'd definitely have to come up with something to show her appreciation. If only she could say the same for Cassidy.

"Well, I guess Barbara Walters probably had to get some help from time to time," Kimberly murmured.

Cassidy was surely taking advantage of Kimberly while she was in such desperate need, but a good investigative journalist must always do whatever it takes to get the information they need. If anything, she was sort of proud of the young reporter, this drive that she had would take her far. Kimberly could relate, she'd already done her fair share of things to get what she needed; crawling through tight vents, sneaking inside private compounds, gone undercover. She wasn't awarded _Journalist of the Year_ for the last two years for nothing.

"Barbara Walters? I'm more of a Diane Sawyer fan," Cassidy's smile fell at the sight of Kimberly scowl. Did she say something wrong?

Kimberly's blood boiled, the nerve of this bottle-blonde teenager. Paying her off she could do, owing her a favor was a walk in the park, but hearing she wasn't a fan of the most iconic woman in television was absurd. She was a legend, practically had her own religious cult following, she deserved more respect than to be lowered to the level of that _other_ _woman_.

"I'm gonna pretend you did just say that because I need your help," Kimberly sighed in mild frustration, "But never mention the 'D' word in front of me again. Barbara Walters is our idol, understand?"

 _God, this woman was insane, yet so amazing! Demanding and bossy, two big qualities she admired!_

Cassidy couldn't be prouder, she was more impressed than before!

"Deal."

A chiming bell engulfed the cafe as a rattled teen came storming in. The double glass doors of the cyberspace flew open as the teen struggled to catch his breath. Outside, a screaming crowd sprinted frantically down the roads and sidewalks, toppling over bystanders and inanimate objects.

The confused customers of the Cafe watched in fear as the disheveled public screamed for their lives outside the safety of their walls.

The breathless teen won his battle with his lungs as he trained to get a few words, "Tyran-no-drones-are-loose! Ev-ery-one-take-co-ver!"

Kimberly twirled her head, facing both Cassidy and Devin.

"Tyrannodrones?"

"Mesogogs army!"

"Mesogog?" _What the? Where the hell do they come up with these names? They get stranger and stranger as the years go by._

"Reptile.. Dinosaur looking thing," Cassidy shuddered, "Doesn't matter... Wherever tyrannodrones are the Rangers will be."

This was her chance, the time had arrived to come face to face with the Power Rangers after all these years. In that moment, she wasn't sure if she was ready. Maybe she needed more time. An extra day to think things through and decide if this was what she really wanted. If this job was more important that her piece of mind, her sanity. Her dream from the other night still had her shaken, it was so real, so vivid. Her skin tightened, minuscule bumps rippling down her legs and up her arms.

She faced the teens who appeared ready to take her orders. Even behind their brave faces, she could see a flash of worry and fear, it mirrored her own. It never did get easier seeing monsters tear up your town.

Her mind wandered off to Conner and his friends. Surely she should tell them what's going on outside so they could reach safety too. Her eyes darted to the swinging door of the employee lounge, wondering if she should barge in there and warn them of the danger.

"Kim!" Cassidy broke through Kimberly's thoughts.

She sighed, exhaling that air of fear and inhaling a breath of confidence. Kimberly had to get her story, and with it put her fears and stress behind her once and for all. She just hoped that Conner would stay safe in the Cafe.

"Okay, let's go!"

* * *

"Dino Thunder, Power Up!"

The five colorful rangers landed in the street, towering buildings surrounding them. Standing in their signature poses ready for battle. The fluidity of their power intensified with every breath as they readjusted to their morphed form. An electric spark of energy traveled through their veins, bonding with their DNA.

"Here we go again," Conner remarked to his fellow teammates as they nodded.

 _Another day, another battle_.

Elsa watched them from her place above a toasted vehicle, laughing wickedly before commanding the army of tyrannodrones to attack the Rangers at once. She growled in frustration. This was Zeltrax's turn, but that slime ball weaseled his way out of it. Unfortunately for her, for things to continue as planned, the Rangers had to be in battle. Thus, leaving her forced to do his dirty work. That was the only way that the mayor could gather media for another proclamation as to why the Rangers were so disastrous to the city.

There was no monster of the week as they all came to nickname it, this was simply to cause destruction to the town, and cause as many casualties along the way. Her task was simple, kill any bystanders on sight. Elsa lifted her sword, commanding her allies to attack.

Kimberly, Cassidy, and Devin peered from the side of a nearby building, each head towering over the other as they took in the view of the five morphed Dino Rangers. Being new to the town, Kimberly didn't know much, if anything, about what she was up against. She knew as much as Lily had told her, the rest she had to find out for herself. From what Cassidy had just filled her in, what she was looking at were Tyrannodrones, Mesogogs persistent Army. Unfortunately, they weren't like the clay goons she had to deal with as a teenager, these actually looked tough.

Devin's camera was pulled out immediately. With a steady hand he started taping the Dino Rangers as they began their battle.

"Wow, they're actually good. Why does the public hate them so much?"

"I suppose the public hasn't been too receptive to any rangers, at least not like the ones from Angel Grove," Cassidy shrugged

"Ever heard of those?" Devin asked in curiosity.

"Yeah," Kimberly's faint smile never reach her eyes, the memories of her teenage years fluttering back to her in a mind crashing crescendo, "I have."

There was so much to being a Power Ranger than there appeared to be. For the longest time she allowed the pain, fear, and loss to go unmentioned. Hiding the pain six feet under so that she would forget what it felt like to feel those things. Being one of the first rangers, although an honor, was so hard for her. There was no one there before her that could mentor or prepare her for what was to come after. No one to tell her that even after hanging up the morpher, the nightmares wouldn't stop. That the threats and fear of being tied up and sacrificed to Maligore wouldn't continue to come. Zordon was wise and larger than life, but he wasn't a ranger. He never had to stop doing what he was doing, she did. She moved on to another phase in her life, but the Power Rangers would always keep coming back to her somehow. She was in an endless loop, destined to repeat her life over and over. There were memories she remembered fondly, but there was one moment in history that crushed it all. That stained, tarnished, and outweighed everything good that she had ever done. And it all started with one phone call from Wes Collins, the Red Time Force Ranger.

She shook her head, erasing the memory from her brain and pushing it back to the grave. Right now was the time to bring up _that_. If the thought kept creeping up, she didn't think she would have the courage to continue chasing after these rangers.

As Elsa summoned more tyrannodrones, she used that opportunity to scour possible victims. Her eyes landed on a threesome to her far right. She smirked, quietly ordering her troops to go after the civilians.

Cassidy and Kimberly narrowed their eyes into the distance as Devin continued to record the evidence they needed. He zoomed his camera, capturing the Rangers battling steadily. Their focus was maintained on the war in front of them, leaving themselves vulnerable and susceptible to attack.

Using this moment to their advantage, three tyrannodrones leaped over the small group, landing heavily behind them. The ground quaking force traveled up the road, creating jagged cracks in the concrete, coming to rest at the base of Kimberly's feet.

Her perfectly round doe eyes widened, body tensed, and her breath caught in her throat as husky growls came from behind her. A heated huffing breath fanned the back of her neck, blowing strands of hair over her shoulder in its power.

Cassidy was so deep into watching the scene play out before her that when her hair blew in front of her too, she figured it was nothing. If she would have known it was actually tyrannodrones then she wouldn't have absentmindedly thrown her hand back and inadvertently punched an armored being in the face.

Kimberly cautiously tilted her body, but froze once she moved mere inches. She couldn't find the courage to move anymore even is she tried, instead she allowed her eyes to do what the rest of her body just wouldn't allow. Her eyes followed the breathing, turning as far left as they could until she caught the first glimpse of what was behind her.

Her body twirled to face the tyrannodrones at first glance, causing her to jump back and bump the two teens in front of her.

"Whoa!" She yelped, her arms instinctively reached out covering the teens in a protective shield behind her as she did her best to show no fear.

Cassidy and Devin turned, their eyes widening in horror as they took a hard look at their predator. Cassidy let out a shaky breath as she death gripped Devin's hand and Kimberly's left shoulder, essentially saying one final goodbye.

It was time for Kimberly to step up to protect these kids. The old crane had to be inside of her still, spiritually at least. She sent out a silent prayer before doing something she hoped she wouldn't regret but knew she probably would.

Thinking back to what Tommy had taught her long ago, she jumped in the air, twirled her body, and double kicked one of the tyrannodrones in the chest. His body flew knocking over the other two soldiers along the way.

 _Holy shit! It actually worked!_

With this short opportunity, Kimberly turned to the teens, "Run you two!"

Four feet stomped on the ground in a furious pace, escaping the danger and reaching safety in the far distance.

"Ugh, gross," Kimberly's brows furrowed, taking a good long look at the three growling creatures nearing her. No one said the life of a journalist was glamorous, but she never would have _thought_ she'd be dealing with these type of things again.

Trent steadied his breathing as he roundhouse kicked a tyrannodrone, cracking it's plated armor. Kira joined him, tackling the being together in a series of jabs and kicks.

Nodding his appreciation, Trent found a flicker of movement in the distance, drawing his attention. It wasn't long before he realize what was going on.

"Civilians in danger over there!"

The red ranger turned, catching a helpless woman trying to ward off the army alone. With a blow to his back, Conner grunted. Tommy came to his rescue, helping him up before they were thrown in battle again. Conner couldn't get free long enough to go save the woman.

"Dr. O, go," Conner roared breathlessly between counter attacks, "We'll cover you!"

Tommy nodded, accepting orders from his leader. He blocked a few more attacks and bolted to the woman in distress that... Well, she didn't seem so helpless after all. In fact, she was kicking ass.

"Wow, she's actually pretty good!" Kira found surprisingly. Another woman that could take on tyrannodrones as well as she could, she just had to meet this girl.

Ethan squinted his eyes, straining to clear the image of the woman in danger off in the distance as he continued his defense on the tyrannodrones.

"Wait, Conner, isn't that your girlfriend from earlier?"

"Kimberly," Conner gasped as he took a kick to the gut from his reptilian opponent. He grunted as the force of the impact brought him to his knees.

Elsa admired her polished manicure as the tyrannodrones caused destruction. She would really rather be doing _anything_ other than babysitting these brainless peasants, but she was given orders. She had to go through with them. Conners cry of pain from being pinned down by a soldier painted a devilish smirk on Elsa's face. If only she could get the other rangers down then she could really get this party started. Before she could enjoy those few moments of bliss from the Rangers fall, her attention turned to the black ranger nearing a civilian in the distance. How he was able to get out of her line of sight, she didn't know. He was faster than she thought. She snarled furiously, ordering more of the army to target the woman.

Kimberly used some of the techniques she acquired as a young ranger, flipping the tyrannodrones as best as she could. Her best efforts dimmed, punches and kicks no longer doing much to fend off the army as more gathered around her. Her strength weakened as exhaustion began to subtly creep in.

Two tyrannodrones took her moment of weakness to their advantage and restrained her from each arm. More of the beings gathered around, ready to strike and murder the petite woman, knowing full well that even one casualty would have the town in an uproar.

Kimberly tugged her arms, struggling to get free from their bone crushing grip. She thrashed back and forth, her wrists blistering red from the friction. Her pulse raised, this burning sensation becoming way too familiar from her dream the other day.

"Let me go you disgusting swamp thing!"

Her eyes lit up as she watched the black ranger nearing her, a light sigh of relief expelled from her chest. Finding salvation at last.

Tommy's sprint turned to a slow jog as he neared the courageous woman, her features coming in on full display. The steady drumming of his heart quickened as heat tingled all over his body in a wave like motion. There was no doubt in his mind who this petite brunette was. His jaw dropped beneath his helmet, his eyes widening with it. The ghost that had been buried so deep in his past had returned and he didn't know why. Her presence only confirmed what he had thought earlier, today everything would change. Because of her. Kimberly.

Wow, the years had definitely been good to her. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. Still the same Kimberly that made his heart race, still the same woman he would spend an extra 3 seconds staring at when she turned away, still the same heartless woman that wrote him a dear john letter. Hmm, maybe he should just walk away... Let her take care of herself, you know. No, he couldn't do that.

His conflicting emotions fought with one another, his head and heart fighting for dominance. His brain was so rattled by her unexpected presence that he hadn't even realized he'd been standing like an idiot in front of her for what seemed like an eternity. Still, he couldn't find the strength to move. His arms and legs were losing signals required from his brain to do anything besides stare at her beauty.

She fought vigilant to get free from the tyrannodrones before the black ranger halted before her. She paused her struggled as she took him in, her brows raising as she found him too strange. Almost familiar.

She awaited for a response from him, possibly helping her get free, maybe even telling her to run away while he handled the threat, but she found no such thing. Just a frozen ranger that seemed way too inexperienced to handle this current situation. Her eyes bore at him, signaling her signs of distress, for help, anything.

And she wasn't the only one confused by the Black Rangers actions. The tyrannodrones held Kimberly tight before their heads tilted to one another, anxiously awaiting for the black ranger to make a move.

She scoffed, her head shaking as she figured he needed a little push. She sucked in her breath before letting out a loud Yelp, thoroughly breaking him from his trance.

"Don't just stand there, Help me!"

 _Geez, and he calls himself a Power Ranger? Psh, yeah, okay, what a rookie. Zack wouldn't be this stupid._

And maybe that's what he needed, a little yelling from Kimberly to bring him back to this strange reality. Back to this state where he's the black ranger and she's just a civilian in need of help. Whatever part of him she owned was irrelevant, he'd deal with his insecurities later. Her voice entered his ears and into his heart, winning whatever fight he was battling within. Something clicked inside him that second as he focused on freeing Kimberly.

With no words spoken from him, his right leg lifted. His body followed his leg as he spun into action and double kicked the tyrannodrone to Kimberly's left. She dove into the street and out of the way, a mild grunt fled her lips as her chest made contact with the asphalt. One day in Reefside and she was already bloody and bruised. With her palms firmly braced on the gritty ground, she turned her head to her side, taking in the heroic ranger before her as he fought every tyrannodrone near them.

Now she was the one frozen in place. He was single handedly tackling them all himself and to her surprise, he was winning. There was always something so over the top and romantic about a man in spandex uniform protecting her. She'd always had a soft spot for the big hero.

Tommy fought diligently until enough were on the ground and he could come to Kimberly's side. He halted before her, crouching down ever so slightly as he extended his right hand.

She paused, her eyes darting back and forth between his black glove covered hand and helmet. Her hand trembled from both aching pain and uncertainty. Trusting him wasn't a question, whether she should continue with this overwhelming feeling to faint was.

She really should see a doctor about her iron levels.

She went with her gut, slowly extending her hand to reach his in a shaky wobble.

Before she was able to reach him, she looked past him, her eyes bulging at the incoming threat.

"Look out!"

The black ranger hissed in pain from a ferocious kick to his spine. His superhuman strength saved him, allowing him to tottle a moment before turning around with increased adrenaline. He took on the small army, throwing blood draining kicks to their torso.

As more and more tyrannodrones made their appearance, Kimberly bolted to her feet. She couldn't sit back and watch any longer.

The other rangers couldn't be reached as they fought more tyrannodrones at a distance with Elsa now joining the battlefield. It was Kimberly's turn to help. She wasn't sure what it was but something was pulling her to this battle, for the first time in years, she was fearless.

With a blink, she was by the black rangers side. She mirrored his stance, her fisted hands up ready to battle. Tommy cocked his head as he caught sight of Kimberly beside him. She was crazy if she was actually going to try and fight these tyrannodrones, they weren't as easy as putties.

As one neared, she kicked her left leg up and back, hitting it straight in the face. Her mind instantly reverted back to that of her 16-year-old self, and with that confidence, she double back flipped, kicking various tyrannodrones along the way. Not a rusty bone in her body.

 _Where the hell did that come from?_

Tommy couldn't help but be surprised, he was impressed even. It wasn't easy to do what she did, especially if you've been out of practice for years. But what did he know? He hadn't seen or spoken to her in that long, she could very well still be doing gymnastics.

Following the black rangers lead, Kimberly continued her expert kicks and punches, blocking any and all attacks from the opponent the only way a ranger could. Her powerful kicks made contact with the plated armor, throwing them clear across the road.

Tommy pulled out his brachio staff, continuing his fight with the tyrannodrones by Kimberly's side, bringing him back to his teen years as the white ranger when they would do just that. It was strange how easily they came to a synchronized rhythm. Such a natural reaction to one another. It was almost like they knew what the other was thinking without saying anything at all. When he needed her to duck, she ducked. When she needed him to move, he moved. A perfect routine played out in an expert recital, tag teaming in a death match. He'd never felt more alive than at that exact moment. His blood rushed through his body, spiraling in through every vein and artery. This new found flight was unexplainable, like trying to describe to a blind person the vibrancy of a rainbow. This was the start of something new.

The sharp, silver metal made thunderous contact with the army, slicing through their chests in a deep swipe, impaling through each and every one of them as they neared him and Kimberly.

It had been years since Kimberly had moved the way she had, but being here, in that exact moment with the black ranger had her believing that she couldn't be harmed. Whether it be the familiarity of being with a ranger again or her own adrenaline coursing through her veins, she still didn't know, but whatever it was, she had never felt more powerful than she did that moment.

Coming from behind Kimberly, a tyrannodrone clutched her. He used his strength to tighten his grip on the brunette, lifting her feet inches above the ground, a dangling mess flailing as she struggled to break free. Her breath caught in her throat, finding it hard to breath from the constriction of the lock.

Before she was able to try and garner the black rangers attention, he was beside her, his hands gripping the head of the being and tearing it away from her. She turned, heaving with her hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath. They were tougher than she thought.

The rest of the rangers joined in a quick pace, tackling the remaining tyrannodrones.

She stood, ready to continue her battle before the black ranger came before her, halting her return. Tommy's brain couldn't find the words to speak, every word in the English language disappearing from his vocabulary in a snap. He needed to tell her to run, to get away, but he couldn't. With Conner coming from behind, he tugged Kimberly's arm.

"Run!" The red ranger commanded as he ushered for her departure.

Kimberly gulped, her eyes scanning the threat once more. She couldn't find the will to leave, she didn't want to leave this feeling of power behind, and strangely enough, she didn't want to leave the black rangers side. Something about him had her questioning everything. She'd had the taste of danger and action again, it wasn't that easy to give up.

With the sound of Kira, Ethan, and Trent battling behind them, Conner returned to action. Fighting side by side as they destroyed being after being. Tommy couldn't peel his eyes away from Kimberly, needing those extra three seconds to himself to confirm she was real.

Finding the power within himself to look away, he slowly took a few steps behind him. He turned on his heels and made his ascend back to his team and back into the battle. Leaving Kimberly where she belonged, away and out of sight.

Her love struck trance was broken as the black ranger left. She fled that instant, jogging up an inclined road where the battle between the Rangers and the tyrannodrones was nearing its end. She stole one last glance at the Rangers, locking eyes with black ranger in the distance before she turned and made her way back to the Cyberspace Cafe.

There was something eerily familiar about him. And without a doubt, she would get to the bottom of it.

* * *

 **Author note:** Tommy got to see Kimberly but not under the best circumstances! What did you guys think of this chapter and Tommy's reaction to seeing Kimberly? And what has Kimberly so afraid? Surely something must have happened! Leave me a review or send me PM. Id love to know what you thought about it! This was a super fun one to write for me! We will see what happens after in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

The gentle _swoosh_ of the metal doors in the Lab locked tightly behind Conner. He swallowed hard, his brows furrowing as he watched his mentor in deep thought slumped in a chair across the room. Tommy swiveled calmly, his elbows perched on the arm rest as his hands clasped together and the tips touched his chin. There was an eerie silence in the room, all the Rangers sat in disbelief, each in their own web of theories as to what exactly happened just moments ago. Haley monitored the city for any signs of danger, purposely ignoring the heat felt behind her.

Conners lips parted and closed several times, trying with all his might to come up with the proper words he wanted to say. What happened back in the city was completely inexcusable and the man before him knew it. He couldn't look at him as his teacher or mentor. He had to look at him as his teammate and he as a leader. And just like a leader, he had to reprimand his actions. Actions that could very well have gotten someone killed.

With that in mind, he marched towards him. He opened his mouth, ready to say exactly what was on his mind in the most _mature_ way possible. "What the hell, Dr. O?"

Okay, not the best choice of words.

Tommy adjusted himself in his chair, his chocolate eyes lifting to lock with the clearly upset red ranger that halted at his feet. He fucked up and he knew it, but he was not about to allow Conner to disrespect him in any way, shape, or form.

"Conner, watch what you're saying," Tommy growled.

Haley winced, pretending she didn't hear a word of anything. The blue, yellow, and white ranger sat in complete awe, their eyes bulging with curiosity as they listened on. Never in their ranger careers had Conner ever raised his voice at their teacher, not once.

Conners eyes narrowed, his head shaking in anger, "I'm sorry, but I can't." His finger came up, sternly lecturing the now standing man that he respected more than anyone else in the world. "You're the one that told me I had to assert myself, so I'm going to talk to you like if you were Trent, Kira, or Ethan."

He exhaled a breath of confidence before continuing, "Dude, you fucked up."

Tommy's eyes widened briefly, muffled snickers echoing from the seated rangers in the background.

"Whether you meant to or not, you did," Conner continued, "I have never seen you freeze up for anyone, let alone someone in need of help. The tyrannodrones attacked her and you simply looked on by while she needed your help. Freezing, under any circumstances, is something we don't do. A split second could mean someone's life You could have cost us a civilian. Do you understand that?"

Although Conner didn't know the history behind why he froze the way he did, he was right. Freezing up could have cost someone their life.

"I kno–"

"-We serve to protect, we maintain the balance between good and evil, we fight the good fight. Nowhere in there does it say that we stop and look on. You recovered quickly, and for some strange reason Elsa backed off. You're lucky for that. This is very serious, Dr. O. The public already hates our guts and adding a ranger that can't do their job would only add fuel to the fire. If you were anyone else, I would make you sit a few battles out, but given that you've never let the team down I'm going to give you a warning," Conner continued.

Tommy's eyes fell, the disappointment in himself rearing it's ugly head. He'd never been lectured before on how to do his job, not from Jason, not even Zordon. Hearing it from a kid _he_ recruited was different, it was new. He hated it. But underneath it all, he was proud of the red ranger. In all honesty, Conner was doing exactly what he would have done as a leader.

"You're lucky she knew how to defend herself because could you imagine if she couldn't? I don't want to see that again." Conner enjoyed being the leader for the most part, but having to chew out a member of his team was not something he liked to do, especially when that member was far wiser than he was.

He smiled lightly, patting his mentor on the back jokingly to break the ice and to let him know there were no hard feelings. He'd said enough in terms of lecture and by the looks of things, Dr. O had learned his lesson, but there were still a few things he wanted to get off his chest.

"Look, I know what happened," he spoke softly while Tommy shot him a curious brow.

 _Could he know something?_

Conner continued, completely oblivious to the situation, "She's hot, fine as hell, but that doesn't excuse your actions."

Tommy's jaw tightened as collective face palms and groans came in from the background. His tongue rolled in his mouth to keep from grinding his teeth and putting his right hook to Conners face. He knew what he was _trying_ to do, but it was executed poorly.

" _But_ you as the adult need to keep your hormones in check, you're not a kid anymore," Conner continued, "So I hope this was a one time thing and you're not going to be a liability."

He took Tommy's silence as confirmation of his understanding. He sighed, now letting out everything he had to say, "So now that I've said my piece, the floor is yours."

If Conner had just left that last bit out, Tommy would have swallowed his ego and taken every bit of heat the red ranger had thrown at him. Unfortunately for Conner, he didn't leave it out and now Tommy was fuming. It didn't matter that he hadn't seen or spoken to Kimberly in years, anytime anyone ever disrespected her, he got pissed. She wasn't "hot" or "fine as hell," she was _beautiful_ and nothing short of that.

Tommy smiled lightly, releasing the built up tension in short chuckles. "Conner, I hear you. I fully understand and it won't happen again. You're a great leader and I'm proud to call you mine, but you still need to learn a little on how to talk about a woman. They deserve more respect than what you give. Especially the one you were just referring to. So next time how about you think before you speak and you won't run the risk of coming off like a complete jackass."

Conner froze in place, staring blankly out while Tommy skirted around him. Leaving the red ranger to think deeply in what exactly he just said.

 _Did he say something wrong?_

Seeing as the conversation ended, Kira tip toed to her mentor. A million and one questions dancing around her tongue.

Slumping back down to his chair, Tommy caught sight of the yellow ranger nearing. He sighed while he rolled his eyes. He didn't want to have _that_ conversation right now. Sadly for him, Kira did and she was already marching to ask what her brain kept wondering.

"Dr. O, who is she," Kira spoke, dumb question because she had just met Kimberly, but that wasn't exactly what she was looking for. "I mean, who is she to _you_?"

Tommy gulped, turning his head to get a comforting nod and smile from Haley. If there was ever a moment he wished the world would swallow him whole, it was now.

He sighed, now standing and facing the teenagers that were anxiously anticipating a response from him.

"Her name is," he began slowly. "Kimberly Hart," they all spoke in unison at the mention of her name.

Tommy's head shook, his brows raising mid center as his forehead scrunched. "You guys know who she is?"

Trent nodded while he shared glances at the other rangers, "We met her today."

Haley had remained relatively quiet throughout their short exchanges. She hadn't caught Kimberly's name earlier that day, only writing her off as an injured customer. Now that she knew who she was, she wished she could have shielded Tommy from ever coming in contact with her.

"You did?"

"Yeah," Kira began as she stifled a snorted laugh, "Conner over here–"

"–I met her outside the Cafe," Conner interjected flatly, swiftly cutting her off before she was able to complete her sentence. "Just randomly. Two strangers meeting in a complete and total coincidence. Absolutely nothing else happened. Nothing at all. Especially nothing concerning soccer balls."

"Okay," Tommy eyed Conner curiously, but chose to ignore the red rangers strange mannerisms. "What else do you guys know?"

"Nothing much," Ethan shrugged, "Conner wouldn't stop drooling long enough to ask her anything."

"So you have no idea what she's doing in reefside?"

"None at all," Kira sighed before growing serious. "What's going on, Dr. O? Should we be worried?"

"It's nothing like that," Tommy paused as he took in the powerful glares coming from his younger teammates, "It's just that... Well, Kimberly and I go way back."

"Way back as in you and Haley or way back as in your weird hair days?"

"The latter, Conner," Tommy rolled his eyes at his leader, "By the way, creative way of bringing up my past hair days."

Ethan smirked, his brows raising at the mention of his next question, "So, was she like your _boo thang_?"

How did he know he would get asked that? What is it with teenagers and their over need to ask inappropriate questions? Also, what the hell does that even mean? Tommy sighed before looking away from the Rangers. "If you're asking me if she was my girlfriend then yes, but she was also more than that."

Trent scoffed in amusement, "There's more than that?"

"Way to go Dr. O," Ethan said in a singsong voice, high-fiving Trent in the process and getting a death glare from Conner.

"Why do I smell a steamy love affair," Conner murmured while throwing himself in an empty chair. It would be just his luck that Kimberly would have an involvement with Dr. O. _Now things will get awkward on their wedding day._

"No, guys, nothing like that," Tommy paused as he looked around the room. His gaze fell on Haley who shot him a quick thumbs up. "She was also a power ranger, a great one."

Tommy wasn't surprised when he saw the jaws drop on all of the Rangers, Conners especially. Their reaction amused him, causing a small smirk to creep up his lips.

"So that explains why she could handle herself," Trent smiled in realization.

"Wait, she was a fellow ranger," Kira asked in excitement, "Yellow?"

"Pink," Tommy stated.

"Wait, from the video diary," Ethan's head tilted in curiosity, "That's her? No way!"

Tommy chuckled, "Way."

"So, why'd you freeze up," Kira had to ask.

"I haven't seen her in years," Tommy sighed. "I don't know, seeing her again shook me up inside. I was suddenly this insecure 16 year old with this huge crush on her."

Say what you want, but Kira was still a girl. With all that known, romance was still her passion and hearing her mentor talk about someone like he was, especially since he had always been so secretive about his past, was interesting. "Wow, That's pretty—"

"–Lame," Ethan guessed.

"–Dorky," Trent followed.

"–Stupid," Conner finished.

Kira shook her head at their idiocy, "—I was gonna say _sweet_."

"Look, Dr. O, I happen to know a certain _someone_ that not long ago hit a person in the face because they were trying to impress a girl," Kira continued while Conner cringed. "All I'm saying is that I understand why you froze. We all do stupid things under pressure."

"Thanks, it's just that... I haven't seen Kimberly since we were in high school. Seeing her today was the last thing I ever imagined happening. I froze and I accept full responsibility, but I promise that will never happen again. She's gone now and I'm sure with what happened today, I'll never see her again. So let's put it behind us and forget about it. I'd really like to not talk _or_ think about her anymore," Tommy finished as he motioned for Conner to get out of his chair with a single snap of his fingers.

"Wait, just like that," Ethan scoffed. "We don't get more?"

"Ugh, Guys," Kira spoke softly as she looked straight ahead, her right hand tapping Conners left shoulder repeatedly now that he was standing beside her.

"I think you should lay off Tommy for a bit. Besides you know all you need to know," Haley argued.

"There's gotta be more," Trent pleaded

"Guys," Kira spoke louder, still her best efforts went ignored.

"Why don't you guys look up the video diary if you're that curious," Haley smirked as her arms came to rest over her chest. Tommy stifled a chuckle behind his hand, enjoying Hayley's playful taunt with his teammates.

"Yawn! No way am I sitting through that snoozefest again," Conner rolled his eyes in protest.

"Guys!" Kira finally managed to Yelp, gathering the gazes from everyone in the room.

"What is it," the team said collectively.

"The mayors making a public announcement again," Kira revealed as she pointed to the muted television screen mounted on the stone like wall.

Haley's eyes widened, whatever public announcement Mayor Abrams would have was sure to be negative. She reached the remote without a second thought, turning up the volume to see what lies would be spread about them this time.

 _"—it has come to my attention that the disorderly Power Rangers were back causing destruction across the city,"_ Mayor Abrams spoke as he addressed a large audience in City Hall. He stood confident and wise behind a microphone covered podium, never once hinting to the fact that he wasn't who he said he was.

 _"_ _Among the destroyed buildings today were historic sights, homes, business establishments... The list goes on and on, and the Power Rangers allowed it._ _This unacceptable behavior has continued after persistent efforts on our part to stop it. Their presence only brings more danger to Reefside. Our beloved city is a prime target because the unwanted Rangers took it upon themselves to call this place their home,"_ hecontinued. As the announcement trickled on _,_ sweatbegan to rain down his neck profusely. One of the many side effects of possessing a body.

He cleared his voice in protest, fighting with the body he overtook for control as it rejected the virus that was Mesogog. " _I can't express more to you, the public, that the rangers are severely inexperienced to handle a threat like Mesogog. His power is beyond our comprehension and we're insane to think we could stand a chance, but we can do it together,"_ He had to add the last bit, even if he didn't believe it. These fools were buying every word he was saying and it was only making his plans for domination stronger.

" _To further allude at how poorly the Rangers can handle a dire situation under extreme stress, my team conducted interviews with eye witnesses that confirmed that the black ranger not only froze, but allowed a woman to battle the tyrannodrones on her own. Several witnesses, while seeking safety, also confirmed that the nameless woman was seen catapulted to the ground while the Rangers did nothing. Nothing to come to her aid and nothing to bring her to safety. Her whereabouts are still unknown, but some theorists believe she was incinerated beyond recognition. Are these the type of heroes you want protecting our city? I can assure you that we can stand together and take the power to protect Reefside on our own and ban the Rangers from ever stepping foot in our territory ever again. Join me in my conquest,"_ the imposter Mayor roared as the gathering crowd cheered. This was the second successful press event the mayor had done and with the planted attack Elsa conducted, things went perfectly. Mesogog was that much closer to turning all of Reefside against the Power Rangers and he was that much closer to getting his revenge.

His eyes flickered a shade of yellow just briefly, closing them abruptly to hide the fact from the eyes of the cameras that were covering this live event. Unfortunately for him, Tommy caught that little flash, but the absurdity of what he thought he saw was pushed away.

Standing with their mouths completely dropped, the Rangers and Haley looked on. The joyful cheers of the crowd continued on the screen, sinking the teens into a lower pit of disappointment. In the eyes of the public, they couldn't do anything right. It didn't matter that they stopped an attack from getting worse or that they saved hundreds of lives today.

Haley had seen enough and she was sure that continuing to watch this would do nothing for the confidence of the Rangers. She reached the remote at once, shutting it off in one quick click.

Conner had remained breathless, his eyebrows lifting at the center while his eyes fell. "Well... Shit," he sighed in frustration as a hand ran through his face.

Just another thing to add to the hate the Rangers had been getting. Sometimes he wondered if he was the right person to lead the team, that maybe he wasn't doing such a great job if he was causing the public to despise them so much.

"He's lying," Kira released in an exasperated groan. She came to stand in front of the Rangers, her eyes riddled with pain. "Kimberly was able to get away, we were able to get tons of people to safety before any battle began. He's absolutely lying! We have to do something. We have to stand up for ourselves! If Mesogog gets wind of this, he'll attack Reefside for sure."

She was telling them something they already knew very well, but it didn't hurt to hear it again every once in a while. Especially considering that after hearing that the whole town hates you constantly, it can really get you down.

"They hate us," Ethan murmured. "Why should we defend ourselves when they will only listen to what they want to hear? In fact, why should we even help them at all. They obviously don't want it."

"He's right, Kira," Trent sighed. "Why try?"

"Because... Because..." Kira stuttered as she looked at Tommy for guidance.

"Because we're Power Rangers and it's what we do," Tommy finished. He shot Kira a quick nod, joining her as he too came to stand before the Rangers. "We don't do it for the fame or glory, we do it because it's the _right_ thing to do."

Tommy's eyes searched the teams, their eyes dipped down in defeat. He sighed, turning to gaze over at Conner who seemed to be the only one aside from Kira paying attention. He smiled at his leader, motioning him over with his head to stand beside him.

Conner nodded, taking his place with Tommy and Kira up front. "Will you guys listen to yourselves? 'Why should we', 'why try,' this is bigger than us. It's bigger than you, Ethan," he sighed as he looked to the blue ranger. "It's bigger than you too, Trent," he continued as he turned to the white. "Dr. O is right, guys. It doesn't matter if the town hates our guts or if they form an angry mob and chase us with pitchforks. We will always be there to protect them because... Well, that's who we are, and that's who we'll always be. So pick up those chins and stop whining because we're not stopping. All Mayor Abrams did was unite us, making us that much stronger."

* * *

 **Reefside High School**

 **Friday, March 26, 2004**

 **Reefside, CA**

 **1:05PM**

Cassidy's own selfish need to get out of class is what has Kimberly in this nervous state. After the strangest evening with the Power Rangers yesterday, Kimberly was forced to follow through with her promise to Cassidy and do whatever favor she asked. The press event the mayor held yesterday was an eye opener for Kimberly as to how highly despised the Rangers were in Reefside. So needing to get more information from the mayor for her story, Cassidy offered Kimberly her help in exchange for one of those favors she desperately wanted. Cassidy, being a normal teenager in all ways, just wanted to get out of class and work on a story of her own. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a huge problem in that. Like most public schools, they actually seemed to care who exactly picked up their students.

The admissions office cackled at Kimberly's request while she joined them in a nervous chuckle. When Kimberly persisted in taking out Cassidy, they sent her to Principal Randall's office where she could give the final say.

Kimberly sat quietly, tenderly chewing her bottom lip as her fingers dug into the underside of her chair. Never in her life had she been in a principals office, and although she wasn't a student herself, it still had her nervous. Her eyes searched around the small room, noting the bland decor. Her brow lifted at the interesting choice of pictures on the wall, it seeming all too authoritative, not very friendly or welcoming. Her right leg bounced rapidly as she anxiously awaited for Principal Randall's entrance. She'd been patiently waiting for over 20 minutes with the principal nowhere in sight.

When the high pitch creek of the door echoed through the office, she knew that it was time to make the best first impression. After all, most people can't say no to her bubbly personality.

Kimberly jumped in her chair, slowly rising to greet the tardy principal. "Hel—"

"—Please tell me why I should allow one of my students to leave with someone that isn't a parent or guardian," Randall spoke flatly as she ignored Kimberly and took a seat behind her sturdy desk.

Kimberly was taken aback by the rudeness of the woman. Suddenly the pictures on the wall made sense.

"I...well... Um, hello," she smiled nervously while stuttering, "My name is Kimberly Hart." Being the polite person she was, Kimberly extended her hand out for a shake, but found Principal Randall staring at her blankly, ignoring her kind gesture.

"Should I be impressed?"

Randall eyed her intensively, there was something very familiar about Kimberly.

Kimberly's lips parted, unsure of how exactly to respond to how bitter this woman was coming off. Taking Cassidy and Devin out of class might have been more difficult than she anticipated.

"No, of course not."

"I'll have you know that I'm a very busy woman, Ms. Hart. So can we just cut to the chase," she sighed in boredom, absolutely hating her day job.

Crap. She didn't have a valid excuse. How was she supposed to explain to the principal that one of her students really just wanted to get out of class? She had to come up with something and it would unfortunately have to be a big fat lie.

"Yes, um, well, I'm a journalist and I need to interview two of your students—"

"Are you with the police," Principal Randall interjected coldly.

"No," Kimberly scoffed.

"Then please humor me as to why you think I'll allow a student to leave with a complete stranger," she repeated from earlier, this time harder, more firm.

"Well," Kimberly began shakily, "Cassidy said it should be no problem considering—"

"Cassidy Cornell," Randall snorted, her eyes rolling in the process, "Do you think _Cassidy_ is more qualified than I am to dictate what goes on in my school?"

"Of course not," Kimberly offered as her eyes bulged lightly, this conversation wasn't going exactly how she planned. Okay, moment of truth. "She just mentioned that you would allow this since her father donates so much money to the school."

With a quick sneer, she responded, "Is that so?"

Kimberly couldn't exactly out her finger on it, but something was definitely off about this so called principal. Without skipping a beat, she replied, "Yes, ma'am."

When Kimberly's head turned slightly, Randall's eyes widened. Instantly recognizing just who the woman was. The same one from yesterday, the same one the tyrannodrones were about to take care of before the black ranger got in the way. Her brow lifted as her eyes narrowed, figuring she might need to take care of the threat herself.

"Principal Randall," Patricia, her elderly assistant, announced quietly while Randall shot her a malevolent side eye at the intrusion. "An Anton Mercer is here to see you."

Principal Randall's eyes widened in mild fear. Finding the strength within herself, she stood and nodded to Patricia. In a firm voice she answered, "See him in."

"Look," Kimberly sighed in defeat, "I know I'm not a parent or guarding, but I—"

"—take her."

"Wha— really?

"Yes.

"Wow, thank you," Kimberly didn't even know what to say, "Um, I was also hoping to take Devi—"

"Yeah, yeah, take him too," Randall waved her hand in a frenzy, "just get out. They're in Dr. Oliver's class. Patricia will tell you where."

Kimberly wasn't sure what was happening, everything had been moving so fast that she simply followed Principal Randall's urgent usher to get out of her office. The stars must have aligned perfectly because she never imagined that she would have been able to get away with it.

"Thank you— oh," Kimberly began in a startle as she accidentally bumped into a tall man with a head full of blonde hair as she was trying to exit through the door. In return, Anton Mercer simply stared her down, a gesture that left her feeling uneasy for some strange reason. Her head turned to Principal Randall and if she wasn't mistaken, there was a flash of fear in her eyes.

Her eyes darted between the two adults cautiously before clearing her throat and muttering, "Excuse me."

With that said, the door was shut and Anton Mercer glared Randall down.

She let a few heartbeats to go by, allowing sufficient time to pass so that she knew there were no nosy bystanders by her door.

She eyed Anton Mercer guardedly before letting out a shaky, "So—"

"—The new potion is working as planned," he confessed as she sighed in relief. "I'm able to regain full control of this measly little body while the true ruler dominates inside."

"Excellent," she nodded, "Just allow me to remind you that since we couldn't use the _switch laser_ for the host body, it may not be as powerful as before."

His teeth gritted at her reminder. Like he didn't already know, who does she take him for, an idiot? Nevertheless, it's not like the _switch laser_ was all that great, it left him powerless for a few moments after switching back to his reptilian body. A fact she failed to mention to him.

"Let me remind _you_ of the weak state I was left in yesterday by your _switch laser,"_ he roared as her eyes flew to the door, hoping no one would interrupt from the loud yelps coming from the office.

"I understand... We're working out the kinks. Anything going on with this new one?" She hoped there wasn't, she didn't know how forgiving Mesogog would be if she failed again.

"Anton Mercer is fighting inside me, I can hear his thoughts," he paced in frustration. "I need something stronger, better. If I can't control my human half then what good is all of this," he growled, knocking various items off the mahogany desk in a rampage.

Randall winced, taking a few steps back to distance herself from her master. She sighed, hating to be the one to deliver the news. "Those are side effects, sir. Nothing is 100 percent."

Her words only angered him more as a ranging snarl over took him. With the grand force of Mesogog within him he charged forward and thrusted Randall onto the metal wall of filing cabinets. Her painful cry was muffled behind his large hand. She trembled lightly, her breathing deepening in a fearful exhale.

Anton lowered his head to hers, his sapphire blue eyes flashing a shade of golden yellow as Randall's eyes widened.

"Well let's hope for your sake we don't get more of those," he growled in her ear while she whimpered to herself.

* * *

"Room 173," Kimberly repeated to herself as her eyes searched the quiet halls for the correct room number.

She passed room by room slowly, stealing quick glances on the doors as she did so. She'd been scouring the halls for the better part of 10 minutes, finding no luck in the maze that was this high school.

This high school was strange, the people were strange... The whole damn town was strange. First it was Principal Randall with her tough as nails exterior and then there was Anton Mercer, who didn't even say anything, but she knew he was trouble. If that man could cause that fear that Kimberly knew too well in Randall's eyes, then he had to be trouble. Kimberly was never wrong about her ability to read people, and by the looks of that man, he was a bad seed. She still couldn't shake the goosebumps that he had given her.

"173... 173...Where are you," she sighed in frustration before her eyes landed on her prize, "Ah!"

After yesterday's impromptu battle and the mayors ridiculous speech, Tommy felt a real need to relax on this particular sunny Friday. He'd taken the teens advice and gave them a break, one he really needed as well.

He sat comfortably on his desk as he graded papers in hope of having as little work left for him during the spring break. The lights in his class were off, only the large television currently playing _Jurassic Park_ illuminating the room. Through the subtle light he was able to catch the faces of his young students, most had their eyes pinned on the screen, completely absorbed into what they were watching. Others, well, it didn't matter what was on, they would always rather sleep.

He turned his attention back to the work before him but only for a brief moment, thinking back to what else had transpired the day before. He tried to forget it, to pretend it didn't happen, but the truth was that it did. He did see Kimberly yesterday, and just like old times, they were side by side, fighting to save the others life. She hadn't changed at all since he had last seen her after the tournament. If anything, she was more beautiful than he remembered. Still, even if she was a surprise encounter, he shouldn't have allowed himself to freeze the way he did. He couldn't understand how he could have such an emotional reaction to seeing her when she had been a stranger to him for the last 10 years. She still is. Even then he had to convince himself that Kimberly was never that serious of a relationship to begin with. He was about her, but she never seemed to reciprocate those feelings back, at least not verbally. She always found a way around what he thought should have been an easy return. In their entire relationship she never even once uttered the three most simple words in the English language back to him. In a way, knowing that she had never expressed her love for him made it easier for him to let her go, knowing that she probably found what he had been lacking with that _other_ guy.

He was so encased in his thoughts he never once heard the light knock on his door and the audible click and creek of the door opening.

Kimberly's eyes searched the lightly illuminated room, falling to the man at the head of the classroom. She took short steps, feeling a few glances from students turn from the screen to her. She cleared her throat in hope of catching the teachers attention, but found no such luck.

Dr. Oliver," she said while looking down at her piece of paper, reading the name that was written down.

"Yes?" Tommy replied as he stood from his chair and made his way to the new guest.

It took him only a few breaths to realize who was standing in his classroom. He continued his slow stroll, his hands buried in his pockets as he came to halt before her.

Kimberly's eyes narrowed in the dark as she tried to see who she was talking to, his face coming in full view for the first times since those many years ago. Never in her life did she expect to run into him again, less here of all places. She tried to control her galloping heart to no avail. Her lips parted as her breath got caught in her throat.

In a shaky breath she released, "Tommy?"

* * *

 **Author Note:** Oh my goodness! What do you guys think of this ending? Finally face to face without any helmets between them. We know that Tommy knew Kimberly was in Reefside, but Kimberly had no idea! How do you guys think she will react? Also, what do you guys think of Conner as a leader? Definitely taking more control and stepping up, don't you think? I'm sorry if the characters aren't true to themselves so much, but like I said, I've never seen the show before. I'm trying to be as authentic as possible, but also add my own spin to the characters and making them a tad more realistic as teenagers. Mesogog is slowly coming into the story, taking over bodies one at a time. Anyway, let me know what you think! Your feedback is always appreciated. I have some _big_ things coming up! Also, I'm sorry for the lack of update. It was a crazy couple of weeks for me. To make a long story short, I went on vacation and then immediately afterwards got a bit under the weather. I've honestly been too exhausted and sick to even _think_ about writing. Hopefully this passes soon and I am back to updating regularly.


	5. Chapter 5

_He cut through the wind like a bullet, flying just below the clouds. His sorrowful cry filled the sky as he searched for his mate in desperation. Just moments before they were hovering in the air, twirling above one another and the next moment she was gone._

 _The falcon circled the land like a vulture, his chest heaving with fear that something happened to the crane he so adored, his souls mate in all ways possible._

 _A voice came through in a mind-scrambling narration. Whether it was human or animal like he couldn't quite understand. It was something so universal that could be heard without ears, just felt through in a wave like transmission, seeping into his thoughts._

 _It began in a whisper, echoing mildly as he soared across the emptiness. Only some words could be made out as his powerful wings flapped effortlessly._

 _"...falcon flies alone_

 _But... in sight_

 _...wing tips... star-crossed lovers touch..._

 _...after life"_

 _His mind searched for the direction of the sound but found no definitive answer. He sought land as he narrowed his body to the desert cracks on the ground, landing on a brittle tree branch. The lively vegetation that just covered the earth moments ago was replaced with a dry waste land. The Falcons talons gripped the dying tree as tumble weeds bounced across the ground. In the distance danced a puddle of water, a mirage created by the blistering sun viewable through a heat haze._

 _Like a flickering ghost, transp_ arent to this alternate plane, Kimberly appeared. Both terrified and confused, her hands came up to her eye level to study her slowly disappearing body before landing on the _bird a couple of feet before her._

 _"Tommy," Kimberly spoke softly in a dazed state to the bird as she slowly disappeared more and more. There was no scientific reason why she would know this was Tommy, but there was a pull in her heart that knew he was, if anything, symbolically._

 _The falcon, although a bird in every way, had human like characteristics that couldn't be seen but known almost telepathically. The falcon didn't know of this human version of what he knew to be the crane he had thought he lost. His head tilted from side to side, studying this foreign creature he knew he loved. He knew he had to help her, but he didn't know where to even begin. Still, he was a bird, there was no possible way he could help her in whatever she sought._

 _"Tommy," she repeated again, her voice diminishing as her body did also. She reached towards the falcon as he stared on. Her hand swam right through the confused bird, her lack of solidity prohibited her touch to be felt._

 _The falcon continued to look on to Kimberly. Her features had grown from fear to acceptance. The understanding that once she disappeared completely, life would be gone for her. She smiled gently for the first time_ _until she vanished indefinitely._

"—Tommy," Kimberly began in mild confusion. She chewed her bottom lip tenderly, her head tilting as she stared into his blank expression.

Her hand moved to his forearm, giving it a gentle touch to bring him back from wherever his mind had wandered off to.

Her touch was like a bucket of ice water being poured on his head, instantly bringing him back to this strange reality.

He shuddered free, taking a quick glance at his surroundings. Somewhere in his dream like state they had wandered off into the hallway and he had no recollection. He only hoped that he hadn't said or done something stupid in the short absence. It took him no time to realize that Kimberly was indeed standing just a couple of feet from him, staring at him with questioning eyes. He didn't even know what to do around her or even how to greet her. Was a hug too friendly for someone he hasn't spoken to in years? Was a handshake too formal for someone he had a deep history with? Was a simple nod too impolite to greet the woman you once loved so long ago? Either way just standing like an idiot for the second time had him looking just so awkward.

Kimberly smiled nervously, one brow raised as she watched him collect his thoughts and compose himself. God, it had been nearly ten years since she had last been face to face with him, but somehow it had seemed like centuries. She looked at the familiar face, but didn't immediately recognize the man. This was a different person than the one she once knew. Sure his features were similar, but the overall way he carried himself was different. His muscles bulged out more beneath his tucked in dress shirt, the hair she once loved to run her fingers through was gone, and as she stood just a step away, she swore he had gotten taller. On the other hand his eyes were tired, displaying the years of constant battle and loss, but his posture was firm, hardened by pain.

His arms crossed over his chest, a completely unconscious reaction to Kimberly's presence. He chose to forget whatever the hell just happened in his head, the dream or symbolic premonition was stupid and he had no doubt it was just from his lack of sleep. Still, the first line from the unknown voice kept replaying in his head until it was completely embedded into his brain. _Falcon flies alone._

"Tommy," Kimberly repeated in a song-song voice, "anybody in there?"

The short laugh he didn't know he had missed until that moment brought a small smile to his face. He hadn't realized that he had possibly come off cold to her. Shaking his head he return the laugh, "Sorry, I kind of spaced out there. What were we saying?"

"Your memory is still the same," she teased effortlessly.

"No," he chuckled at her playfulness. "Its gotten better... It's just that— well, I really wasn't expecting to see you and you kind of just— never mind."

He knew he had to shut up before he said something stupid. In this moment there was only them two, no helmet to hide behind and no threat to take it away. He allowed himself this time to gaze into the face of the woman he didn't know at all. He looked at her as not a girlfriend or teammate, but the friend he lost so long ago. And just like yesterday, he couldn't look away, needing those extra three seconds to make sure she was real.

He said nothing, no amount of words could explain how relieved he was to see that Kimberly was indeed okay. He still couldn't get over how beautiful she looked, just the same as always. Her smile still lit up the room and her laugh was the perfect symphony. Her chocolate eyes captured his gaze as he allowed himself to get lost in them. Taking her in was refreshing but with it came the hurt. He pushed the negative thought away, just needing to live in the moment and not the past.

The silence became too much and he knew he had to say something before things became even more awkward. "You don't look any different. You're just— just like I remember."

She had to smile at that. Never once did she expect to run into Tommy Oliver during her stay in Reefside, but now that she had, she was pretty glad she did. She couldn't understand this uncontrollable giddiness that she was feeling deep within, even if it was foreign.

Tucking a brunette lock behind her ear, she began, "Yeah I guess I haven't changed much." Her gaze turned to his, locking it in the process. "You on the other hand. Your hair... It's different."

She caught the self conscious run of his hand across his short hair. This humble man still doubted his incredibly good looks and that in short, warmed her heart. She saw a flash of 16 year old Tommy buried somewhere deep in there after all. "Good different. I like it," she clarified for his sake.

On the other side of the door six nosy and pestering teenagers pressed their ears onto the grainy oak door, listening in on the conversation their teacher was just having with the woman they had just met the day before.

"Are they... I mean, did she just compliment him," Kira asked the other five teenagers as she listened on.

"No way," Connor opposed, "she's just being nice. We all know he needed that haircut. Anything would have been an improvement."

"Connor, enough with the hair jokes. They've never been funny," Cassidy spoke in annoyance.

"How does Kim even know Dr. O anyway," Devin whispered to Cassidy.

Ethan swallowed his knowledge on the situation, not needing to feed Cassidy and Devins want for gossip.

"Sounds like you may be losing your soon to be wife to Dr. O, Connor," Trent stifled a laugh as he received a playful shove from Connor in return.

Tommy struggled not to blush, he wouldn't allow her to get that reaction out of him. Sure it had been years since the infamous Dear John letter, but the male ego was a sensitive thing that took a while for the wounds to heal. Still, if anyone could make him forget, it would be Kimberly Hart. His only defense is that he would approach the beast cautiously, with his heart heavily guarded.

"Thank you," he returned, his ears turning bright Crimson. He stole glances down the hall out to the sea of lockers with his back resting comfortably on his wood door, "It's been a long time."

She nodded simply, "yeah, too long."

The awkward silence over took them once again as they both nodded in silence, avoiding each other's gaze.

"So," Tommy began in a slow drag to break the silence, "did you come here to see me?"

"Oh— um, no," she smirked, her fingers ran through her face to hide the blush creeping in, "I'm here for work, but more specifically I'm actually here for two of your students."

"And here I thought you looked me up," he teased.

"I didn't know you were in Reefside. I feel like that's something I should have know," she sighed heavily, silently hating the fact that she had let time and distance keep a friendship she once cared about so deeply slip away. There was more to it that just that, an event in history that pushed all of the friendships she loved to something virtually none existent. "We haven't kept in touch— _I_ haven't kept in touch with anyone since, you know—"

"—yeah," he cut off. He didn't need to hear her repeat what he knew had to still be a sensitive subject for her. Their friendship was one that had been gone since their breakup, but the friendship she lost with Billy, Jason, and Zack was one that ended indefinitely when they buried Trini. He still didn't know all the details to what led to their fallout, but he suddenly hated inadvertently having Kimberly even mention anything pertaining to the loss of contact.

Needing to change the subject into a more neutral topic, he began, "So, you're here for a student? I don't know too many jobs that require a grown adult to kidnap teenagers."

She was thankful for the change in subject, now moving into lighter territory. "Ha-Ha very funny," she smiled. "I'm actually here as a favor. They kind of wanted me to get them out of class. Said their teacher was kind of boring."

"—Hey," He chuckled in mock-offense. "One of them isn't Connor McKnight, is it?"

"The soccer stud," Kimberly eyes furrowed.

Connors eyes had lifted into a gleeful expression. A smug smirk appeared on his face as the Rangers, along with Cassidy and Devin, rolled their eyes. Just another thing to add to Connors already huge head.

"That's the one, but don't let him hear you say that. It will go to his head."

"I'll remember that."

"What did Connor do this time?"

"Welcomed me to Reefside," Kimberly pointed to her healing lip, the purple barely visible behind her tinted pink lip balm. She shook her head at the memory of her first meeting with Connor.

Tommy's brow raised as Kira's little pep talk from the day before played across his mind, "You're the one he hit in the face with soccer ball?"

"He told you?"

"No, Kira, one of my ra— really good students mentioned it," he sighed in relief at the expert save from almost blurting out the Rangers. It's not that he didn't trust Kimberly with the knowledge, but telling her in a location where the walls have ears was not the smartest thing to do.

"Oh yeah, I met her too. They're great kids, even Connor." She was pretty surprised, she didn't realize Tommy was so close to his students. Tommy was always so reserved, it was refreshing to know he had built a relationship strong enough that his students felt comfortable expressing their day to day lives. "Anyway, it's not as bad as it looks. I'll just call it a war wound and wear it with pride."

"Well you still look beautiful." What possessed him to say that? He didn't mean to say that out loud, it was more of a thought he couldn't keep pushing away that finally slipped out. If there was ever a time Tommy wished he had the inability to speak, it would have been then. It's not that it wasn't true, but seeing as how he had only been speaking to Kimberly for roughly five minutes, he didn't think it was the most appropriate choice of words.

"Oh my god, I can't believe this," Connor scoffed to the group of teens huddled behind the door. He threw his hands up in the air, completely exasperated by his teachers words.

"I told you, man," Trent smiled, "he's trying to steal your girl."

"Connor, you're completely mental if you ever thought you had a chance with Kimberly," Ethan chuckled as he shook his head.

"Shh," came furiously and rushed from both Kira and Cassidy whose ears were glued to the door.

Kimberly swallowed the ear reaching smile that threatened to come out. She lowered her head and nodded, hiding her blush. "Thank you," she replied before clearing her throat. "Anyway, I'm actually here for Cassidy and Devin."

A subtle relief washed over him that she didn't focus too much attention to his little slip. "Really? Family of yours?"

Why did she suddenly have this overwhelming feeling that Tommy would make a great interrogator? He could always get her to spill the beans on anything. Maybe it was this comforting, nonjudgmental aura he projected or the way that she was more focused on how his shirt clung to his muscles to think coherently. Either way he had an advantage.

She struggled to find the right word. How exactly do you describe a diabolical bottle blonde teen that coerces you to work with them?

"New friends."

It appeared that Kimberly had met half his senior class before he even knew she was in town. Something he wished he would have been a part of instead of coming face to face with her mid battle.

Tommy sucked his breath in, playfully teasing her. "I'm not really allowed to let my students go with just anyone."

"Save it," she giggled, raising a hand in the process. She was loving this back and forth between them. Although awkward at times, their interaction seemed to come natural. "I already got the okay from Principal Randall."

"Wow, I'm surprised she let you."

"She almost didn't. Luckily some Anton Mercer showed up and she..." Tommy's eyes widened, the fact that his old boss showed up at his high school stunning him. "...said it was alrig—" Kimberly trailed off as she watched Tommy space out in thought once again. "Are you alright?"

Kimberly's voice brought him back for the third time. "Huh?"

Her forehead wrinkled as she eyed him carefully, "You made the same weird face Principal Randall did when she heard his name. Is that guy bad news?"

"Oh, no," he tried to play it off, "He's an old colleague of mine. It's just strange that he would meet with Principal Randall, they're not exactly friends."

He paused as he watched Kimberly's curiosity grow. The truth was that principal Randall and Anton Mercer weren't just not friends, but mortal enemies. It was mostly principal Randall barking demands at him and him growling back in a back to back death match, but it was never anything too serious. They'd avoid each other like the plague when they could and only exchanged sneers when they couldn't avoid one another, but that was only up until a few weeks ago. Something must have set him off because he returned taking no lip from anyone. "Anyway, it's probably nothing," he added, hoping to satisfy her interest.

He watched her eyes lift, meeting his gaze. He cleared his throat, clearing his ever growing thirst. "So, now that you know I'm in Reefside hopefully you won't be a stranger."

"Yeah, for sure." The disappointment in her eyes grew as she came to the conclusion that Tommy was in the early stages of saying him goodbye. She hadn't even realized how long it had been. Time had seemed to move so fast for them as it always had.

"Or... I mean," he paused as he looked at his watch. His class had been alone for roughly ten minutes and although they had been watching a film, leaving teenagers unattended wasn't the brightest thing to do. "Id really like to stay and talk to you some more but I have to get back to my students."

"It's okay, I understand. It was really nice talking to you too," she lingered for a moment, waiting for _something,_ anything from Tommy... Just waiting.

"I just— I feel like there's so much we still need to talk about," he finally blurted out.

 _Jackpot_.

Throwing caution to the wind, he used up the remnants of courage from his Dino Thunder powers from the last time he powered down. "Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow?" He couldn't allow this moment to slip away. Seeing Kimberly yesterday had to have been more than coincidental, and having her show up in his classroom of all places seemed like the universe righting a wrong. He braced himself for her rejection, after all she could still want absolutely nothing to do with him even now. He didn't want a date with her, just two old friends sharing a casual conversation and a meal.

The seconds he waited for her response felt like hours, his heart raced as he watched her undecided eyes.

His gaze turned to her small left hand, searching for the sign of commitment to another man. Finding nothing, he still moved forward, "I mean, if you're not busy and if it's alright with your husband."

She caught his lingering glare on her finger, and strangely enough, she loved that. Smiling, she responded, "I don't have a husband." Not like he didn't know that already.

He licked his lips, hiding the fact that he got caught staring at her hand behind a smile. "Boyfriend then"

Something about the way he was baiting her had her body electrified and she didn't know why.

With a shake of hear head, she continued, "Don't have that either."

He was certain that this suddenly boldness came from his surge of power and not from deep within himself, but he ignored it and just went along with the thrilling ride. "Well then, what do you say?"

 _Of course, Yes, Sí, Oui, Absolutely, Why not now,_ were all on the tip of Kimberly's tongue. Still, she couldn't sound too eager or she'd risk coming off looking desperate and pathetic. Instead she opted to use her best poker face to hide her enthusiasm. "I'd like that"

He pulled out his cellphone and quickly updated Kimberly's contact information, a member that until that moment had cobwebs all over.

"I'll call you," Tommy nodded slowly as he too tried to give his best poker face.

He turned his back, ready to face his classroom once again, but was abruptly caught off guard by Kimberly.

"Yeah, you know as long as it's okay with your wife," she called out to him and that in turn caused Tommy to tense up.

He turned to face her once again as he shook his head while he chuckled quietly, eyeing Kimberly in the process who had a smug grin. She was teasing obviously, but he went along with it. "Im not married"

Something she also realized when she too eyed his ring finger. She chewed her bottom lip tenderly as she dipped her head, "Girlfriend then."

She was playing this game too and he was dying for it. He sighed, giving Kimberly that smile she absolutely loved, "Don't have that either."

Her cheeks hurt from trying to contain the smile into something of absolute normalcy. "Good. Then I guess we're on for tomorrow"

* * *

 **Outside City Hall**

 **2:36 PM**

"God, I can't believe he isn't here," Kimberly groaned against the brick wall of City Hall, repeatedly slamming her head against the hard rock. She brushed off the strange looks from the crowds passing buy, they didn't know her struggle.

Leave it to Kimberly's luck to have the mayor not be in his office when she arrived. Having an interview with Mayor Abrams would be huge for Kimberly's upcoming article, but just like always, fate had other plans. She had the whole day planned out perfectly and if it wasn't for having to take out the teens out of class, she might have made it on time to catch him. I guess she did get a little sidetracked when she saw Tommy again, but that wasn't something she was complaining about at all. In fact, once she did begin talking to him, she completely forgot about anything that had to do with her being in Reefside. All she could concentrate at the time was why her heart was threatening to spill out of chest or why she suddenly felt like she was on the brink of flying from happiness when he asked her out to dinner.

Unfortunately, Carrie probably wouldn't accept her explanation that she was drooling over a guy she once dated over ten years ago as an excuse. The ticking time bomb that was his call was surely to come soon, but she'd have to try and scavenge as much information about the Rangers until then. If only she could have been able to get a word in yesterday instead of being flung around like a frisbee by the tyrannodrones. Still, she had to give herself some credit, she hadn't moved her muscles that way in years. Something about the black Rangers presence had her feeling so safe and weightless. That's all she could think about the night before when she was struggling to fall asleep. She'd find him again though, of that she was sure.

"What's with the disappearing mayor act," she sighed as she turned to face the teens, "Is he always gone?"

"Looks like it," Devin yawned as he leaned against the building and fiddled with his video camera. He honestly would have much rather have stayed in class, a movie day was exactly what he needed.

Cassidy twirled a lock of her golden hair, one side of her hip shifting right as she pondered on earlier that day. She chewed her lip as she went over the facts again over in her head, needing all the details she could squeeze out of her idol.

"So it's been ten years since you've last seen Dr. Oliver, right?" The task of getting any information out of the mayor was never her priority, but getting as much information out of Kimberly was.

Kimberly's eyes narrowed before she scoffed, "Cassidy, I'm not answering anymore of your questions."

Surely Cassidy's constant persistence would get her far in her career, but all it was doing was getting on Kimberly's last nerve.

"Oh, come on, Kim," Cassidy whined. Seeing Kimberly squirm in discomfort was entertaining for sure. She was pestering her for more, but that's what a good reporter did. She wasn't here to make friends, she was here for her own story and her own personal gain. Maybe Kimberly needed a little reminder of just how valuable she was. "You said you would help me if I helped you."

With nothing short of an eye roll, Kimberly sighed, "You wanted me to take you out of class and I did that, didn't I?"

"Yes, but that was before you got a date with my teacher."

"First of all, it's not a date, and second, I'm not the assignment."

"But you are _now,"_ Cassidy dragged out, smirking devilishly in the process.

Kimberly, now completely annoyed, frustrated, and on the verge of going to prison for assaulting a minor, threw her arms up, groaning in irritation.

"I am not having this discussion—" A flicker of sandy blonde hair caught her attention as she watched a disgruntled tall gentleman race out of City Hall clutching a briefcase. He grumbled lowly to himself as he wiggled his ear, erratically disturbed by his surroundings.

Kimberly's eyes narrowed as she tried to make out the figure of the familiar man. Speaking to herself mostly, she whispered, "woah, is that..."

Cassidy followed Kimberly's eyes, landing on the man making his departure, "What, Anton Mercer?"

"You know him?"

"Everyone knows him," Devin snorted, but received questioning eyes from Kimberly.

"Yeah, he's this big shot here in Reefside. An entrepreneur that throws money at things to get what he wants," Cassidy sighed while she admired her manicure. "What's the big deal?"

Kimberly shook her head, trying to clear the cluttered thoughts running through her mind. This man, although physically identical to who she had briefly met earlier, was different in every way. If she didn't know any better she could have sworn the man had just come out of some looney bin. Everything alluded to such thought from his wild hair, disheveled clothes, and paranoid whispers.

"I saw him today with Principal Randall. She looked terrified to see him."

"Really," Cassidy questioned. She locked eyes with Devin who seemed to be thinking in sync with her. "I wonder if that has anything to do with what happened a couple of weeks ago."

"What happened," Kimberly's eyes grew in curiosity, the hope that this was a major breakthrough thrilling her.

Cassidy smirked mischievously and in turn it caused Kimberly to frown. Of course Cassidy would use this to her advantage.

Kimberly couldn't help the eye spraining eye roll. Cassidy sure was determined. She could either give her what she wanted and get something in return or forever wonder what actually went down. "Yes, ten years," Kimberly let out a frustrated sigh.

Feeling fully satisfied Cassidy gave Kimberly exactly what she was after.

"Well, they sort of got into a heated argument and I swear I heard her threaten him. He scuttled off, but the next time we saw him, he was a changed man. He's always been a little intimidating but he was beyond recognition personality wise."

"That is strange. What could they possibly be arguing about that caused her to threaten him?"

"Not sure," Cassidy shrugged, "I wasn't able to get all the scoop, but it sounded big."

"What is he doing here in city hall?" Kimberly's voice fell to a whisper. She wasn't expecting an answer, it was something she was trying to ask that inquisitive mind of hers.

"Dr. Mercer is sort of the mayors right hand man," Devin added nonchalantly

Cassidy agreed with a simple nod. She continued where he left off adding important details. "Many believe that he influenced Mayor Abrams a lot and that is why he has been acting so strange concerning the power rangers lately. Anton Mercer has always had some personal vendetta against the Rangers and we've never known why."

This is the kind of breakthrough Kimberly had been looking for. The little seed that would flourish into a beautiful article and save her career.

"Really? Maybe I should have a talk with him."

"Good idea," Cassidy nodded as she patted her clothes down. Devin stretched his arms over his head, yawning in the process. While smoothing her hair down to get camera ready, Cassidy ushered for Devins video recorder.

With a quick shake of her head and a wag of her finger, Kimberly spoke, "No, no, you guys stay here."

"But—" they protested.

"No, Stay here," she commanded, "This is my story and he seems like a total whack job right now. I can't risk anything happening to you guys. I'm just gonna catch up to him really quick."

Through their groans of disappointment, they nodded at her orders and planted themselves on the sidewalk until her return.

Kimberly's petite legs moved as fast as they could on the sidewalk, but the disadvantage was too great for Anton Mercers long strides. Her heart began racing as she picked up speed, needing to catch up to this man.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up," Anton chanted to himself as his hands ran roughly through his golden locks. Glass like droplets collected on his upper lip and forehead from the war raging on in his head.

Kimberly's brows raised as she heard his repeated words from a distance. His behavior was bizarre to say the least. She caught a glimpse of the wealthy man slipping behind City Hall, turning into the back alley.

This was her only chance and he was getting away. With a quick sprint, she managed to reach the end of the building in no time.

She called out to him before she had the chance to turn the corner, hoping it would garner his attention, "Dr. Merc—"

Kimberly's left arm came to rest over her eyes as a blinding light appeared in a contained circle in the alley, she winced and groaned at the cornea burning flash. A whirlpool of electricity spiraled before her, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The quick snapping coming from the portal echoed in Kimberly's ear like a jolting live wire, giving her prickled ripples down her skin. A roaring gust of wind filled the alley and the surrounding areas, leaving trash and debris to fly haphazardly through the narrow hall. Her brunette tresses danced in the wind as the portal continued open.

While Kimberly was left breathless and absolutely petrified, Anton Mercer didn't seem at all fazed. He stood before the portal, sandwiched between the brick wall of City Hall and a chain link fence. Stealing quick glances to his right and left, he walked through the swirling gateway and vanished with a loud, thunderous snap.

"Oh my God," she released in a shaky breath as she peered from behind the building. The powerful wind disappeared when the portal dematerialized, leaving scraps of paper and trash to rain gently down to the ground.

Were her eyes deceiving her or did Anton Mercer really just vanish? Mustering as much courage as she could find within herself, she moved to where the man once stood. Dumbfounded she searched the emptiness for any sign of where he could have disappeared to, but all that was left was an uneasy chill embedded in her bones.

She had been in the ranger business long enough to know that no 'good guy' ever just walks through some kind of invisible portal. That sort of sorcery could only come from one that possessed dark power. Unbeknownst to Kimberly, she had just stumbled upon something that would undoubtedly alter the course of her stay in Reefside.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Hey there! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Things are just getting started with all of our favorites. What did you guys think of Tommy's strange little vision? Make sure to remember that because it will play a big role in some later chapters! Let me know what you guys think of this new chapter and let me know what you guys think of the new Power Rangers movie if you've seen it! Exciting stuff happening in the PR universe!


	6. Chapter 6

**Friday, March 26, 2004**

 **Royal Reefside Hotel**

 **1534 West Fork Street. Suite 308**

 **Reefside, CA**

 **8:18PM**

Kimberly sighed in exhaustion as she took herself in the mirror of illuminated bathroom. She allowed her white robe to fall off her right shoulder exposing a series of purple bruises on her back. She turned her body, cautiously appraising her injury in the mirror. As her fingers came gently over the discolored skin, she hissed in pain. She didn't even remember getting this.

'It must have been somewhere between when the teens left and the black ranger arrived,' she thought to herself.

But at least she could say everything she experienced was real, the Tyrannodrones were real, the Rangers were real... The black ranger was real, _he_ was real. He really did save her and they really, truly did fight side by side, and she had the bruises to prove it. She'd do it all over again if it meant to finally have a chance to talk to him, to thank him for what he did... Well, everyone else too, of course.

" _Wait, you have a date? Kim, you do realize your job is on the line, don't you_ ," Lily sighed in frustration.

Kimberly nodded although her best friend was nowhere in sight. She'd completely forgotten she was even on the phone with her partner in crime. Giving herself one last look at the massive bruise on her back, Kimberly shook the pain away and stepped out of her bathroom.

"It's not a date," Kimberly enunciated each word slowly as she spoke clearly into her cellphone. "I have everything under control. Besides I think he could help me with what I need."

" _How?_ "

 _Oh, you know, we used to be Power Rangers together so he might know how to get in contact with the current team_ was not something Kimberly was inclined to tell. "Can't give away all my secrets, Lil."

Lily shook her head at the craziness of it all. Of course Kimberly would be able to find a way to get what she wanted, she's the best at what she did. There was never a reason to doubt her best friend.

" _Just remember to bring protection,_ " came suddenly over the phone.

Kimberly gasped sharply, but wasn't surprised at all by her manner of speaking. Lily always spoke what she thought. "Hey, what kind of a girl do you think I am?"

Lily smiled and could feel Kimberly blush even three thousand miles away. That's not what she meant, but she liked the way her best friend was thinking. " _I meant like mace or a baton in case you get attacked again. Can't have those tyranna-whatever hurting you again._ "

"Oh, right," Kimberly cringed at her stupidity as she moved to turn on a lamp, giving her bedroom a soft ambiance.

" _And that too_ ," she chuckled for Kimberly's sake, " _The last thing you need is a little snot nose thing tying you down._ "

Kimberly paced her quaint hotel room back and forth, clutching the slim phone to her ear. She stopped at her window as she looked out to the howling moon, the stars barely seen over the city lights of Reefside.

"Lily! It's not like that. He's a friend—"

" _Kim, who the hell do you think you're trying to fool? You're going on a date with you're ex_."

"It's not a date," Kimberly and Lily both said in unison, with the latter being a tad more whinny in tone.

" _Yeah, yeah, the whole city heard you, but that doesn't mean you don't want it to be,_ " Lily murmured. Kimberly remained quiet with only her soft breathing coming in through the phone. " _Come on, you deserve a little fun._ "

She fiddled with the red, opaque curtains. Did she want it to be a date? She hadn't seen Tommy in years, but somehow just the thought of having dinner with the man was absolutely thrilling. And although she would never tell Lily or speak it out loud herself, she was already planning on exactly what to wear. She couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow had in store for her.

Kimberly sighed and with it came a deep revelation. She was in Reefside for one thing and that was for work, not to date around or find someone she hadn't spoken to in years. No, she didn't want it to be a date because— well, it was crazy. This was Tommy Oliver. She hadn't even seen the guy in ten years before that day.

"You're absolutely insane. Aren't you like an old married lady," Kimberly smirked as she rolled her eyes.

" _Yes, which is why I have to live vicariously through you, and this dry spell you have going on is bumming me out!"_

"Aw, I'm so sorry for you," Kimberly replied with as much sarcasm as she could muster.

" _Well, like I said, make sure to bring something to defend yourself. What if this ex of yours is secretly the Zodiac killer and out to get revenge on you for dumping him?_ "

"I can assure you he isn't. And even if he was, I know I'd be rescued by the true heroes in town." Kimberly didn't mean for her sigh to come out velvety smooth or for her bottom lip to be sandwiched between two pearly whites.

A huge epiphany suddenly overcame the feisty blond with Kimberly's silence, " _Oh my God, you're such a bitch!"_

"What," Kimberly said completely dumbfounded

No way would Kimberly get out of this one. No, Lily knew Kimberly like the back of her well manicured hand.

" _I knew there was more to_ 'the black ranger saved me' _bullshit story you gave me_."

Kimberly's forehead furrowed as she took a seat on her bed, "Okay, you officially lost me."

" _Kimberly Hart you are completely smitten by that black ranger which is why you couldn't give two shits about going out to dinner with that potential serial killer_."

Busted. Oh, God. She totally was and she hadn't even realized it herself. She stretched her arms across to her desk where her paper work for her upcoming article lay scattered. She skimmed it over just briefly and found nothing but praises for the black ranger written in her handwriting. She crumpled a single sheet, bringing it to her forehead as she cringed.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lily released an unamused huff of air. " _I was born at night, but not last night._ "

Kimberly had enough of being interrogated for one day. The night was nearing its end and she still had a lot of work left to do. Especially if she wanted to leave as little work for herself as possible to have a worry free night tomorrow.

"Think whatever you want, Lil, but I've got a lot of work to do. I'll be sure to call you tomorrow. Goodnight."

With the phone completely off, Kimberly threw herself on her bed completely exhausted from today's events. Her paperwork flew in the air from the impact on the bed before it came cascading down like a feather. She rubbed her eyes gently, blurring her vision from the friction. Once cleared, her eyes moved to the fan on the ceiling. A much more relaxing visual that the terrifying, head scrambling portal she had just seen Anton Mercer walk into today. She lay hypnotized by the endless spin cycle, her mind clearing except for two vivid images of Tommy and the Black Ranger before she drifted off into a deep slumber.

* * *

Swirling the yellow contents of the beaker once more, Zeltrax lifted his potion. He smiled internally as he noted the beginnings of his devious plan. Placing it aside, he joined it with the rest of the multi-colored test tubes that called the Island Fortress home. The low bubbling of the test tubes heating was music to his ears, finally after months of hard work his plan was coming along perfectly. Three Tyrannodrones stood against the automatic doors, guarding it from any possible intruders or unwelcome guests at Zeltrax's command.

A loud thunderous snap shook Mesogogs lair causing inanimate objects to tip over, the hanging pendants flickered as they swung like a pendulum, a telltale sign that an invisiportal had just been opened. Zeltrax clung onto a metal table for balance as he struggled to keep his creation from tumbling over. It wasn't enough though as the quaking floor caused a red potion beside him to spill some of its contents into his newly developed beaker. He growled in frustration as he noticed the once butter-yellow potion turn into a deep shade of tangerine.

The loud swoosh of the metal door opening startled him as he watched Mesogogs debilitated human form stumble in. The Tyrannodrones welcomed him, assisting him with walking before Mesogog brushed them off.

Anton Mercers hands were clutched like fists over his ears as he shook his head violently back and forth. His golden hair was a matted mess, weighed down by the sweat that was profusely flowing from his glands.

"Give me something," Mercer growled to his cyborg ally as he gasped for air.

Zeltrax watched his master heavily guarded.

"I- I don't know what you need. What's wrong," Zeltrax responded as he kept one eye on the calming potion beside him.

"It's Anton Mercer," he barked, falling on his knees as the voices in his head continued, "I need him gone. His voice inside my head— I need it gone!"

Since Mesogogs surprise visit to Elsa earlier, Anton Mercers pleading voice had only grown stronger. The thoughts of the host body overpowered Mesogog, leaving no room for his own.

"Give me anything," Anton demanded.

His wish, Zeltrax's command. The cyborg turned, picking up the now settled orange contents and placing it to his masters lips.

Anton clutched the beaker, shakily drinking as much as he could in his weakened state.

As the last drop touched his lips, he hissed in pain. He sunk deeper into the ground, clutching his throat in agony.

Zeltrax watched his master behind a malevolent smile, hoping that even with the altered potion things would still go according to plan.

Anton Mercer squirmed on the lab floor thrashing back and forth. He bucked his legs uncontrollably, his deep blue eyes rolling to the back of his head as the whites appeared. His head smashed repeatedly on the concrete floor as white foam began spewing out of his mouth without warning. The Tyrannodrones stood back, watching the light leave their masters eyes.

Anton's movements came to an abrupt halt as he lay on the ground appearing lifeless. Zeltrax eyes moved back and forth rapidly, he lowered his body to his masters in search of any sign of breathing. Suddenly, the thrashing began once again followed by a blinding light that consumed Anton Mercer.

In a series of flashes, Mesogog reptilian body would appear then the feeble human form of Anton Mercer. They morphed consecutively, alternating in a furious pace until the white light grew beyond control.

Zeltrax's head turned as the light consumed all the darkness in the room. Once it subsided he turned to face if his creation had succeeded.

 _No._

Zeltrax's eyes landed on the reptilian form of Mesogog. With gritted teeth he moved his hands to his back, awaiting orders as Mesogog received help from the Tyrannodrones. This wasn't suppose to happen, he was to remain as the human form.

All his weeks of planning, all the battles he had to get out of to create the damn potion and it fails at the last minute. Zeltrax only wanted to weaken Mesogog, prohibit him from returning to his large body. He still needed him to execute orders, and leaving him as Anton Mercer would have done just that. Now he had left him in a position of great power.

"What happened," Mesogog growled at Zeltrax. He stomped to meet the cyborg, his eyes glowing with rage.

"I'm not sure," Zeltrax answered truthfully. The fact that two potions had mixed now rearing its ugly head.

"Why am I in this body," Mesogog roared, "I need my human half! How else am I supposed to get close to the Dino Gems?"

Mesogogs eyes fell to the off right of the room where a large glass orb that once housed the white Dino Gem sat empty. He needed to collect all the gems for his plan to be complete and that achievement had just taken several steps back. The hope to revert the world to the age of the dinosaurs and him be the supreme ruler was slowly slipping away.

Zeltrax fought the need to roll his eyes at that last bit. He didn't care about the Dino gems, nor the success of Mesogog reverting things back. His sole mission was Tommy Oliver. "I can honestly tell you that this was not meant to happen. I will fix this."

That didn't sit well with Mesogog. He wasn't the type to want to wait around for things to get fixed, they should be perfect the first time. And because of Zeltrax's mistake, someone had to die.

Roaring powerfully in Zeltrax's face, Mesogog threw the cyborg aside with his superhuman strength. In a raging fit he cleared the lab table, knocking all of the research on to the ground. Glass crashed on the floor and paper shot across the room. His fury continued to the dismay of his servants. Grabbing one of his Tyrannodrones from their chest plated armor, he threw it on the ground and viscously stomped on its head with his large foot. The loud cracking of his skull as the bones were pulverized ricochet off the wall. The head of the loyal subject sat unrecognizable. Blood oozed from his head as thick as slime, coagulating around what was left of the helmet.

"This is what happens when things don't go according to plan," Mesogog reminded the remaining Tyrannodrones and Zeltrax. He huffed his fury out his nostrils through gritted teeth.

"And you, Zeltrax. I need you to remember what I did for you. How I'm the one that saved you from destruction," Mesogog fumed. The tension between him and his cyborg increased as two dominant personalities came face to face. "Don't fail me again... Or it will be you that meets your end," Mesogog threatened.

Zeltrax swallowed his anger with deep struggle. Sure he was thankful that Mesogog had saved him when Tommy Oliver had left him to die, but having to live the rest of his life as a servant, without any retribution for his life, was not something he was willing to put up with for much longer. Tommy Oliver was at fault for everything that had happened to him. If it wasn't for him, he would have been the one to find the Dino Gems and sought their safety. He regretted ever agreeing to switch shifts that day at the dig site. He shouldn't have been in the lab that day and if he wasn't, maybe the world would still know him as Terrance Smith and not this monster Mesogog created. This fury with the black ranger ran deeper than anyone would ever comprehend. He needed his revenge, he needed to destroy the bane of his existence. He needed Tommy Oliver gone and no one, not even the powerful Mesogog, would get in his way.

Mesogog watched his allies with hooded eyes. A smile began to grow as he noted the petrified looks on his Tyrannodrones. He began his departure, pushing past the metal plated soldiers to get to the exit.

"Sir—" Zeltrax called out and Mesogog froze.

"What," Mesogog sneered.

"I think you should know that you were seen today," Zeltrax informed calmly. He moved to the wall where he pressed a single blue button. The metal plate on the wall moved with ease as a giant screen appeared. "A woman was watching you."

Mesogogs already large eyes widened as his fists clutched, his razor sharp claws piercing his palms. He let out a huffed breath before he realize that the woman on the screen seemed just a tad familiar. "I saw her today."

Zeltrax kept his eyes trained on the image of Kimberly watching Anton Mercer disappear. He replayed the seconds of discovery to his master, forever embedding the woman into his brain. "We don't know much about her aside from—"

"—Contact Elsa. Have her give me a full report on just exactly who this woman is," Mesogog stated. He turned to leave once more, hoping to forget this little mishap.

"Sir," Zeltrax regretted to inform. The reptilian creature paused once more with gritted teeth. "She seems to be the same woman from Thursday night that we— you as Mayor Abrams said was dead."

The scales on Mesogogs skin tightened like a tethered rope as Zeltrax continued. "She's seen you, sir. As your human half. What if she tells someone about what she has seen. What do we do?"

There was only one proper solution.

"Like I said— she's dead," he growled over his shoulder as Zeltrax nodded.

* * *

 **Saturday, March 27, 2004**

 **The Juniper Bistro**

 **Reefside, CA**

 **7:38PM**

Kimberly tried to hide her light giggle behind her glass of Chardonnay. She clutched her glass gracefully by the wide bowl in her right hand, whirling the contents gently. Her lashes batted ever so delicately from across the table as she took him in bit by bit. His blue dress shirt that was neatly rolled to his forearms gave her a peak at his muscles that had her nearly breathless. He was a man that wore several colors, but never once blue, and damn he looked good in it. He looked good in anything...

 _Oh God, no, what am I thinking._

This is Tommy, not some random guy she could just drool over. The little French restaurant Tommy had taken her to had such a nice and inviting atmosphere, but she couldn't help but notice that it was a little upscale for what seemed like two friends catching up.

The last couple of minutes had been a whirlwind of memories, sharing stories, and laughter. It served as a nice little break from the hectic last couple of days. From fighting off Tyrannodrones to seeing Anton Mercer go the land of Oz, she couldn't be more thankful for Tommy's company.

"No, really. That was probably the weirdest, but one of the coolest experiences ever," she laughed, "I mean, who would have thought I would end up meeting all of our ancestors?"

She smiled of the memory of her accidentally being caught in a time hole and being sent back to the old west.

"I still wish I could have been there for that," Tommy smiled, "aside from worrying where you had disappeared to, it would have been awesome to see Angel Grove when it was first blooming."

"You were there— err, your great great something or other," she recalled with no struggle.

She could never forget _him._ The white stranger had instantly swept her off her feet as soon as he came riding in like a knight in shining armor.

"Hope he was a perfect gentleman," Tommy smirked cheekily.

"He was... He may have gotten a little handsy for a minute," when Tommy's eyes widened in disapproval, Kimberly had to laugh, "—I'm joking!"

"I was gonna say," he laughed in relief.

Tommy hadn't realized how long he'd missed Kimberly and all that came with her since tonight, but he hoped it was something he wouldn't have to live without again.

Since he'd picked her up from her hotel room around thirty minutes ago, he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Whether it was the way her little black dress hugged her body or the way her golden brown hair moved in the wind, he didn't know. But through the night she resonated sunshine in his gloomy life, filling a void he didn't even know existed. He moved his hand down to his dark grey trousers, feeling the cold from his cell phone and his morpher. He sent a silent prayer up to the heavens that tonight he would be blessed with no interruptions, but even he knew he might not get so lucky.

"Well we can take a trip some day and go hunt down some ghost towns," she offered and he secretly hoped that meant that their lives would now intermix somehow, even if it was just as friends.

A fine array of food followed their conversation as the two began to get reacquainted once again. Teasing and not so subtle flirting continued and as an outsider, it would appear as any typical date. They'd steal glances when the other wasn't looking and even shared a piece of the others meal.

They'd continued their conversation, still recalling past memories from their glory days. The laughter never subsided as the two became so enveloped with the other that they allowed the world around them slip away.

"No, no, you tripped me," Kimberly shook her head, "I vividly remember walking down the sidewalk and you dragged me down with you."

"No, no, you brought me down," Tommy returned with his own memory, neither one correct.

"I think you may have forgotten what actually happened," Kimberly playfully taunted.

"No way, I'm pretty sure your head was already at the mall so your point is invalid," Tommy shot back as they fell into a fit of laughs.

"Are we still having this fight ten years later," she chuckled as she finished off her wine. Her heeled foot tapped under the table, inadvertently bumping into Tommy's along the way.

Their eyes caught across the table as they both blushed in response from their accidental brushing, but to Kimberly's surprise, he didn't pull away. That fact alone had her stomach threatening to flutter away. She could sense the heat from his eyes and she wasn't sure if maybe she was reading too much into it. Either way, it made her feel so alive. Just like the black ranger did.

"Looks like it," he responded as he too took a sip from his wine.

Tonight had been going so well, and she wasn't even sure what to call it. Was their date going well? Was dinner as two old friends going well? Whatever it was, she was glad that it was with someone that made her feel special.

"I had never been more furious with you than that day," Kimberly revealed as she lowered her head in embarrassment. Not one of her finer moments. She couldn't believe she let a little spell get to her like that.

"I know me too. We wouldn't even let Goldar get a word in," Tommy shared the memory as they both smiled at the blue fury beast. He was a nuisance for sure, but it was something he still looked back on fondly.

Her eyes lifted as she captured his gaze, they grew soft as she recalled the aftermath of the spell.

"I still can't believe you gave up your chance of winning for me. You have no idea how much that meant."

His heart soared at the way she watched him so tenderly. The way she used to once upon a time. He licked his lips, rehydrating them. "You deserved it more, you were the right person for the job."

"I don't think I ever thanked you enough."

"You did," Tommy said calmly as he poured more wine into her empty glass and his, "When I dropped you off home after school."

"Right," she said hastily as her eyes widened.

She turned her head to hide the crimson blush creeping in. How could she forget? Somewhere between a thank you and a goodbye kiss they had moved to the backseat of his red jeep and... Well, she couldn't do anything other than show her appreciation. Straddling Tommy until their lips hurt from kissing so much was not something Student Body President Kimberly should have been doing, but she couldn't pry her lips off of him even if she tried. The memory of their youth had sweat pooling in the palms of her hands.

Her eyes moved to the other couples enjoying their dinner at candlelight as she tried to regain control of her galloping heart. It was a harder task than she could have imagined and the night was just getting started.

* * *

 **Author Note** : Hey there! This chapter was so fun to write that I originally had written so much, but it became incredibly too long. I've actually decided to split this _date that's totally not a date_ chapter up into two parts. This was a natural stopping point, but there's more to come. A lot is going on with Mesogog, Zeltrax, and Elsa. The Dino Rangers will make their appearance again soon, and of course, more Tommy and Kimberly to come. Let me know what you guys think in the form of a review or a PM. Your feedback is sincerely appreciated and I just absolutely love reading what you guys think. It totally makes my day! More to come really soon!


	7. Chapter 7

Elsa stood at attention as she watched Mesogog guardedly with the corner of her eyes. With her hands behind her back, she fiddled with the tips of her long ponytail, twirling the wispy ends as Mesogogs breath fanned deeply down her neck.

The surprise visit to her office from her master the day before still had her quaking. His rage the last couple of weeks had been uncontrollable, a mere side effect from all of the experiments they had been conducting on him, but yesterday's fit was the final straw. In the real world, Anton Mercer was beneath her. He was a pestering nuisance, a coward she would often have escalated screaming matches with, but he never took things too far. Anton Mercer, although knowing of all things behind the scenes relating to Mesogog, didn't fight his other side. He lived his life day to day and at night, when he had no control, he would morph into Mesogog. The poor human wanted absolutely nothing to do with his dark side, which was the cause of many of their arguments. When she was ordered to create a potion for her master to restrain his human half, she was cautious. Living in one body for so long could do more damage than good and she didn't want that.

Up until yesterday she was devoted to her master, but after his outburst, she came to realize he was a threat, even to her. Today her only reasoning for being here was to keep the body of Anton Mercer safe. Although as Elsa she loathed him with all her might as Ella Randall, she cared him. He was her friend from the beginning, before she was turned into who she was today and he became the enemy. The human side of her, the part that still held on to her memories wouldn't allow her to turn her back on him. Not until she could figure out a way to separate the two for good, and with Zeltrax's little mishap the day before, something she wasn't so sure was accidental, she was farther away from her mission than ever.

Her jaw clenched when she felt Mesogogs scaly hand caress the exposed skin of her right shoulder. His razor sharp claws dug into the bare skin as she gave him a meek whimper. Elsa swallowed the heated pain by turning her head to the left, catching Zeltrax trying to restrain his anger.

The lab remained a tattered mess, glass evenly coated the ground from Mesogogs unforeseen tantrum the day before.

Lowering his large head to Elsa's ear, Mesogog requested calmly, "What do you have for me?"

Not much and she was not looking forward to sharing the news. There wasn't enough to time to research much about the woman she briefly met the day before.

"Her name is Kimberly Hart," Elsa informed wobbly, "28 year old female, Originally from Angel Grove and now resides in Florida. She's apparently a journalist for the _Miami Daily Times."_

Elsa's eyes fluttered closed while she released a shaky sigh of relief when Mesogog, who seemed content with the news he received, left her side.

With his hands neatly together behind him, he paced before her, glass shattering even more as his large feet stepped on the remains. The floor was bathed in red from the sharp fragments piercing his skin. "What is she doing in Reefside?"

Elsa's nose wrinkled from the oozing red slug like trail following Mesogog. "No idea just yet."

"As always you've proven to be useless," he sneered as she turned her head sharply. Switching his attention to Zeltrax, he demanded, "Pick up her geographic location."

Nodding, Zeltrax followed orders. He turned his body to face a keypad on the metal wall. With a few buttons pressed, the machine began its computerized beeping, confirming that it was doing just what it was programmed to do.

A series of numbers appeared on a small screen moments later, giving the cyborg the exact location of the petite woman from the day before.

"Her coordinates appear to have her at a downtown location called _The Juniper Bistro._ "

"Pull up the viewing screen," the reptilian creature huffed as Zeltrax nodded.

The metal plated wall opened horizontally, two separate slabs shifted in opposite directions as they allowed a large screen to come forward into position.

Mesogogs wild yellow eyes were trained on the screen as the image began to get clearer. Elsa's narrowed at what she was seeing, disbelief setting in at who had accompanied the young journalist.

"Is that," she began in slowly.

She released a irritated scoff at the clear image of Tommy Oliver dining with Kimberly Hart. Never once did she imagine that the little tramp would scuttle off with her main man after sending her to his classroom. Now the downfall of that journalist was personal. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip as she half smiled at the absurdity. It was funny how the universe seemed to work. With her hands on her hips she turned her head to Zeltrax, expecting a furious reaction from her cyborg acquaintance. She was right.

"Tommy Oliver," Zeltrax growled lowly. His eyes were trained on the black ranger drinking from a tall glass and smiling. Rage ran like fire through his insides, culminating in a powerful slam of his hand on the wall.

Whoever this Kimberly Hart was she seemed important. If anything, at least she seemed important to the black ranger and that was something they could use to their advantage.

"Maybe she's more useful to us alive after all," Mesogog snickered malevolently.

"I'll take care of her," Elsa growled as her eyes remained trained on the screen.

The cyborg protested, "No, I'll do it."

If she was the cause of his joy, he couldn't think of anything better than to destroy it, and with it, the man.

His children were being compliant and that fact had Mesogog anxious for what was to come. If it took this one woman to bring them closer than ever, then he was going to make damn sure she stuck around.

"Initiate an attack in downtown Reefside. I need the Rangers distracted so we can get her alone," his tone raucous and menacing.

* * *

"So, you're a journalist? Never would have pictured that," Tommy smirked as he sipped his wine over a shared soufflé.

"Well, you're a science teacher. I never would have pictured _that,"_ Kimberly returned the same.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean," he laughed.

"It means you were barely able to maintain a C average in class," she reminded playfully.

"Well I had one big reason to be distracted," he winked her way and that alone made her heart flutter. When he noticed her begin to smile, he knew he had to give her a hard time, "Saving the world. It takes a lot out of you."

"Right." She chewed her lip as she answered. He was messing with her and that fact wasn't getting past her.

"And you," he clarified and that had her smiling again.

"I guess people change when they grow up."

"That they do. I don't think 17 year old me could have imagined how my life turned out. I'm sure you could say the same."

"Oh, for sure. If you would have told me that I wouldn't currently be a world class gymnast, I would have said you were lying."

His eyes pressed for more. He had absolutely no idea why she wasn't at the games, and with Trini, Jason, and Zack at the peace conference during that time, he wasn't sure who to ask.

She half smiled at her failure, sighing she gave him what she knew he was too polite to ask. "I tore my ACL trying to find my balance when I fell off the beam. Goodbye Pan Globals and goodbye of any chance winning gold."

His head dipped at her revelation. Of all the things that crossed his mind, an injury wasn't one of them. She'd always been so tough, never once complaining about anything. Although she looked fragile from her size, she always gave the perception that she was invincible.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she waved her hand dismissively. "It took me years of being pissed at myself for what happened to realize it was an accident. I guess it wasn't meant to be. Besides I like the way my life turned out. Professionally speaking."

"And privately," he dared to ask.

She paused for a moment, sipping the remnants of her wine to come up with a proper answer. "Im still trying to find the person I belong with, but I'm in no hurry. I'll find him when I'm meant to."

 _Person she belonged with._ Now that was a sentence Tommy had repeated over and over again in his youth until it was forever engraved. He thought she had already found the person she belonged with, at least that was what she had said in her letter. He didn't hold judgement or resentment, however.

"And you," she asked with her lip clutched gently between her teeth.

Her image that second said 17 year old Kimberly. The way she sat so innocently with her chocolate hair parted to one side, how her doe eyes watched him intently, the soft manner in which she spoke, it all brought out a familiarity he deeply missed, and Tommy couldn't help but be mesmerized.

"I'm busy. I haven't really had time to look. It's—"

"Complicated," she gave him a cheeky smile which he returned.

"How'd you know I was gonna say that?"

"All guys say that when they're unsure of the future." She's heard it a few times directed at her. Hell, she's even used that line a few times herself.

"Well it is. It's not that I'm giving up— it's just that I'm taking my time... Like you."

As dinner had come to an end and the night was slowly moving forward, they decided to use this time and make the commute to Kimberly's hotel on foot. Aside from the heightened level of alcohol flowing through their body, impairing their ability to drive, they wanted to drag out the last few minutes of the night as long as they possibly could. The slight chill of the California night on her skin served as a soothing effect to the heat currently coursing through Kimberly's veins. There was something she had been dying to get off her chest for the last ten years, and now couldn't be a more perfect time to open up. If things don't go well, at least she could say that she had a nice time.

Kimberly kept her eyes away from Tommy, admiring the scenery beside the sidewalk with the help of the city lights. Her hands came together before her, fiddling with the other to calm her nerves. They kept their distance close as they inadvertently brushed arms as they walk side by side, every touch bringing a soft smile to their faces.

Tommy was fighting himself in his head, whether telling Kimberly about his new role as a Power Ranger slowly eating at him. He wanted to tell her, but from what he had heard from Jason, she wanted no part of that life anymore. At least she didn't a couple of years ago. There was still one other thing that had been gnawing at him since he first laid eyes on her three days before. Something he knew could change the evening from great to horrible.

They'd maintained relatively quiet through the stroll, both too engrossed in their own thoughts to even think about speaking just yet.

Kimberly sighed quietly breaking the silence before calmly speaking up, "You can ask me, you know."

He knew where she was getting at, but hoped it wasn't. He turned his head, catching her eyes, "Ask what?"

"What you've been dying to ask me all night."

"And that would be?"

She gave him a half smile, shaking her head in the process, "Do I have to pry it out of you, Dr. Oliver?"

He had been curious, more than that actually, but would this be the right time? The risk that the truth was worse than he imagined crossed his mind.

"I just— I didn't want to bring it up. Especially since I'm really enjoying our time together."

"Me too," she smiled genuinely. She paused under a street light in the empty sidewalk, allowing a spotlight to cascade over them. Gently, she grabbing his forearm to halt him, "but it's been so long that I don't see why we can't talk about this. I know you're curious."

His skin beneath her hands jumped as it tingled from the contact.

"No, no— well, I mean, yes, I'm curious, but— look for the last ten years I thought that you ran off into the sunset with some guy and had a wonderful life as a successful gymnast. That you'd be on kid number two with ridiculously good genes, own a perfect little house with a white picket fence, and an obnoxiously adorable dog. Now you're telling me that that didn't happen and I can't help but be curious."

Her eyes narrowed lightly before they softened. Her hand dropped gently from their place on Tommy as she gave him a smile that never quite reached her eyes, "Ask me what you really want to know."

His gaze lifted as he looked straight ahead. He sighed deeply, releasing with it all his teenage insecurities.

"The letter... The other guy," he spoke softly. "What happened? And Kim, I'm not sitting around sulking about something that happened ten years ago. If I never got an answer, if be okay, but now that you're here in front of me, I'd kind of like to know what went wrong."

"You deserve an answer, Tommy, you really do." Her legs found the energy to move at that moment. Leaving his side calmly, she continued the straight path to the hotel. He was behind her every step of the way, never more than a breath away.

"Can you promise me one thing?" She whispered

"Anything," he answered as he came beside her

She released a shaky breath before lifting her head to greet his. The lights reflected in her large brown eyes as they glazed over. She began quietly, trying to hide the sound of her cracking voice. "Don't think of me differently."

His heart nearly shattered that moment. Just the image of Kimberly nearly in tears tore him up inside. Fighting the need to take her in his arms, he took her hand in his, giving it a gentle rub with his thumb while the back of his other hand moved to brush away some straying tears. "Hey, no hard feelings, okay?"

She nodded her appreciation as she began her walk again. She needed to move, to keep a part of her busy as she began telling something she was so ready to get out in the open. Clearing her voice, she began, "His name was Andy. He was a wrestler that I met while training."

Tommy's gaze remained straight, keeping his eyes in the distance as her heard what was ten years overdue. Truthfully, he hoped that Kimberly had been lying in her letter, but just hearing that the _other_ guy had a name slightly opened a wound he thought had healed.

"We started off as friends and before I knew it things had progressed into something more. One day after leaving the gym he walked me home and he kissed me... And I didn't stop him," She paused, expecting a reaction from Tommy, but received no such thing. His eyes had maintained their gaze forward and she was thankful that at least his focus was off her. "Neither one of us planned or intended for it happen, but it did. One of the reasons I never mentioned him to you before was because I didn't see him romantically. I just saw him as this goofball friend that I liked to have a good time with. No different than Zack or Rocky."

She fell quiet for a moment as they both allowed her words to sink it.

Tommy had maintained his exterior calm, but inside, he was screaming. His male ego had taken a major blow, but his rational side had to keep reminding him that it was so long ago.

"The day he kissed me things felt different. I had these flutters in my belly that I felt when I was with you," her voice drifted off as she felt Tommy's heart shatter before her. Sure it had been ten years, but hearing somethings like that for the first time still ached. "I felt so guilty. I hated myself for it. The only thing I could think of doing was send you a letter."

Tommy didn't hold any resentment, but it still stung. After all, she was his first love. "Did I do something wrong? Not call you enough or write—"

"—No," she said firmly, "you did _nothing_ wrong! You were amazing and wonderful; and I was stupid, immature, and lonely."

"You were a kid," Tommy sighed for her sake.

"No, I don't buy that as an excuse," Kimberly shook her head, not needing to wave the blame. "If I was such a kid, why would I be given the task of saving the world? Why would I be tied to so much responsibility? No, I knew what I was doing, Tommy. I _let_ it happen. I can't blame it on anything but myself. I'm so sorry I hurt you."

There was nothing but sincerity in her voice. She was truly torn about what had transpired all those years ago, and her accepting full responsibility for her teenage actions was telling.

There was a reason Tommy was drawn to Kimberly from the beginning. Aside from the obvious physical attraction, what he actually fell in love with was not her exterior, but the humble person she was on the inside. The kind and caring woman that would do anything for her loved ones and make tough decisions when she had to. Seeing her now, as this 28 year old woman, he knew that she was essentially the same as she was ten years ago, maybe even more selfless.

"So, what happened?"

 _The realization that the grass isn't always greener._

"After I sent you the letter we decided to give it a go. He was good man— great, actually, but it wasn't what I thought it would be."

Andy had been everything that she told Tommy he was, but there was that lack of _something_ between them. That lightning in a bottle she caught with Tommy from their first meeting. That _something_ Tommy had probably found once again with another pink ranger.

"Can I ask you something?"

 _Oh, boy._ He knew where this was headed when Kimberly's words had come out with a hint of uncertainty behind them. Nevertheless, if they were going to have this conversation they might as well get it all out in the open now.

He nodded at her request.

"How long after we broke up did you start dating Katherine?"

"you caught that?" Tommy's face was flushed a deep shade of Crimson, and for the first time that evening, he was thankful the night had allowed him to hide the fact.

"She wasn't exactly subtle with the way she was clinging onto you after the tournament." If fact, Katherine was as subtle as a train horn. Kimberly wasn't blind to the fact that Katherine had a major crush on Tommy even before she had left for Florida. Still, she couldn't be more thankful to Kat for all she did for Tommy. She was there for him when she wasn't, and that was something Kimberly could never repay.

"Yeah, she might have gone a little overboard that day," he chuckled nervously. He rubbed the knot in his neck tenderly as he thought back to his past relationship. "I think we started dating around Christmas time that year, maybe a little bit before."

Okay, that stung Kimberly a little bit. Christmas was without a doubt her favorite time of the year and remarkably enough, the last holiday she spent with Tommy as a couple. So now thinking about the fact that Tommy had been dating someone new a year after they had the most incredible Christmas Day together, hurt. Again, she shook the thought away. It didn't matter, she was with someone else at the time and well, it's not like she was expecting him to crumble into pieces for his entire life. He deserved to move on, he deserved his happiness.

"Was she good to you?"

It wasn't until that moment that Tommy noticed something. Aside from seeing this vulnerability in her he hadn't seen in a while, he saw something he'd forgotten existed. A freckle by just below her ear. That speck that he loved to kiss. And as he stared at the slowly faded mark, It worked as a reminder of what they once had. And he couldn't feel anything but guilt knowing that although she was his world once upon a time, he moved on to find happiness with another woman.

"Yeah, she was," he answered quietly

 _Good._ "I'm glad," she half smiled. "Do you keep in touch with her?"

"Do you keep in touch with your exs," Tommy countered lightheartedly to lighten the mood.

"Do you count," she returned with a growing smile as her head dipped.

"No," With his hands buried in his pockets, Tommy playfully brushed Kimberly on her side with his arm, receiving a quiet giggle in return.

"Then, no."

"No for me either. I think we weren't meant to last forever, but I cherish the memories we had."

Katherine was great and although he thought he could never love anyone after Kimberly, he was happy to learn he was wrong. Life moves on after heartbreaks, and even though it felt at the time the day would never come, he got over it. Unfortunately, not every relationship was meant to last forever and that was the case with Katherine. She moved after high school and neither really had the strength to try for a long distance relationship. Both agreed that if they were meant to be then they would reunite once she returned from London, but that never happened. She came home with a fiancé and he honestly couldn't have been happier for her. Of course there was a part of him that was heartbroken she had moved on so soon. Especially considering they had openly talked about taking that step together one day, but how could he stay mad at the woman that helped piece him back together? He hadn't seen or spoken to her in years, but from what he's heard, she's happily married living somewhere in San Diego.

"She sounds so great."

"What Katherine and I had, although short compared to you and me, was its own brand of something special."

Kimberly genuinely admired the way he spoke so highly of her, her only wish was that he thought the same of her. The way he held Kat up on this pedestal, although lovely, left her curious to know how deep their relationship truly ran. Were they closer than what they once were? Was Katherine a better match for him? It was crazy to think of all this, especially considering that Katherine had been out of the picture for years, but she couldn't help but think there might be some residual feelings there.

"Can I ask something?"

Tommy cocked his head as they continued down the long path leading to the Royal Reefside. "Sure."

"Did you love her?" She was genuinely curious. Kimberly's heart raced as the words fled her lips, the immature part of her hoping that by some chance he didn't.

He sighed lightly. What other choice was there but to love her? It wasn't an easy thing for him to do since letting go of Kimberly turned out to be nearly impossible, but with Katherine's patience and understanding, he found his way.

"I did."

Kimberly nodded, somehow taking some of the blow from her heart. She half smiled again to hide the painful question, "Did you tell her?"

He turned his head to find her eyes trained down. It hurt her and he had no doubt about it. Quietly, he answered, "Yes."

With every breath that she took her heart lost another piece. Licking her lips, she asked her final question, "Did she say it back?"

When Kimberly gave him a small smile, he nodded. "She did."

From that moment, Kimberly knew one thing: Tommy loved someone else after her and they loved him. They were a couple in love. And it wasn't the fact that he had moved on that broke her heart, but the fact that someone had taken her place in his heart when she wished she had never given it up in the first place. She knew she had no right to be jealous, especially of something that happened so long ago, but no amount of maturity would allow her to tame the green eyed monster.

"Since we're being so transparent, can I ask _you_ something?"

She nodded, he deserved to be heard too.

"Why didn't you say it to me?"

Kimberly simply stared at him, unsure of what to say or how to answer that.

"I did."

"No," he protested calmly, he subdued a threading chuckle, " _I_ would say 'I love you' and you would say—"

"Forever and ever," she recalled quietly. She chewed her lip as she remembered how she used to answer him in her youth. A response caused by fear.

"Exactly," Tommy nodded, turning serious, he continued, "Have you ever said I love you... To anyone?"

She remained quiet for several moments thinking back to when those words last fled her lips. It wasn't something she looked back on fondly, it was a memory that still ached her heart when she thought of it. Keeping her vision trained straight ahead, the lights in the far distance grew larger with every step they took.

"Yeah... my dad," she sighed heavily, "The last thing I said to my dad when I was 16 was 'I love you'. I haven't seen him since. Now he's living in god knows where with who knows who."

"If you weren't ready, you could have told me."

She locked that word up deep within herself in a metal vault and threw away the key, storing it high above a castle, a violent dragon guarding the tower à la _Sleeping Beauty_. It was categorized as taboo with a caution sign that read: Danger, do not open.

"It wasn't that I wasn't ready. It's just that I never said it back to you because I didn't want those to be the last words I ever said to you. I guess I thought everything would disappear if I ever said it. Pretty ridiculous thinking about it now because even without saying it we lost each other."

She was wrong. "When you love someone, they never truly leave you. They're a part of you forever."

"It didn't mean that I didn't feel the same way about you, but a couple of words didn't change the reality of how I felt inside and I think that's more important. Aren't all words just nonsense until we put meaning behind them anyway? It's just a word... At least that's what 16 year old me thought."

"And now?"

She didn't have to ponder on it long. Ten years of dating and life experience taught her many things and one thing was that anything was plausible.

"And now I'm open to the possibility that true love is out there."

"So, you did love me?" Tommy grinned smugly. His brows lifted in the lowly lit street.

"What do you think?" She returned a smile all the same.

"I think I was too adorable not to love, right?" He joked while she playfully swatted his chest.

"I think you know the answer."

"So, What happened with Andy?" It was strange hearing his name come out of Tommy's mouth, extremely unnatural.

Stepping into the lobby of the Royal Reefside Hotel, Kimberly found a sense of comfort but also anxiety. Her home for the remaining week only served as a reminded that the evening had come to an end.

"Muranthias," she whispered as she nodded to the receptionist. "I went back to Miami a different person. He treated me right and he was respectful, but he wasn't the one for me. I was trying to find myself, trying to realize where I belonged. I wasn't training anymore. I just— it was a dark time for me."

They'd stepped into the elevator, taking the short trip to the third floor.

"I cared for him a lot, but there was never anything more beneath that," she half chuckled thinking back to when realization hit her. "Strangely enough, seeing you again after months apart reminded me of what I was missing."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she smirked. They'd been slowly taking steps to her room, the room numbers on the doors slowly increasing by one digit. He sucked his breath in with every step... needing— wanting more time with her. "when you took off your helmet when I was under that spell, I saw something in your eyes that I didn't have for Andy. Your love for Katherine was evident in your eyes. You took off your helmet in hope that I wouldn't hurt her and it was powerful, Tommy. I wanted what you and Kat had. That's what was missing from my relationship with him. And it didn't matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get myself to feel that."

What Kimberly had thought wasnt untrue, but she was wrong in who the love was directed to. It wasn't because he was so enamored with Katherine that he tried to stop Kimberly from hurting her, but that he loved Kimberly so much he hoped that she would be able to break from her spell by seeing the love in his eyes like Katherine had once done for him.

The inevitable had finally come as they halted beside room 308. Kimberly's gaze lifted to meet his as they left everything that was unspoken there.

"We're here," Tommy cleared his throat

"Yeah," Kimberly nodded

"I had a nice time tonight, Kim, and I'm glad we got everything out in the open."

"Me too." She fiddled with the key card in her hand, contemplating whether the next couple of words would be appropriate or not. Beckoning towards the door, she asked anxiously, "Do you want to come inside?"

 _Yes. I shouldn't. Yes. Is that the right thing to do? Yes. Screw it._ "I'd like that."

Gazing around the room Tommy found it crisp and clean. The bed had been freshly laundered and made, and the room was cool and inviting. Kimberly dropped her things on her nightstand while Tommy made his way to a stack of papers on her desk on the far wall. His finger glided over the slick desk until his eyes landed on the material resting on it.

"So, what are you working on right now?"

Kimberly eyed him curiously. _Should she open up about it now?_ I guess there isn't really a better time.

"Promise you won't freak out?"

"I promise," he answered with his left palm up and out. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Well," she snickered as she continued assembling her items on the nightstand, "it's power rangers.

"Power rangers?" Luckily Kimberly's back had remained to Tommy so she had missed the complete deer in headlights look he was currently wearing.

"Yeah, I know. I didn't really want to do it, but I was kind of forced to." She twirled to face him, now nearing his location with small steps.

"What exactly is your article about?" He tried not to come off too affected by this, but of course he was. How could he not be?

"I'm trying to find them to get an exclusive interview," she answered casually.

"Interview. Why?"

"Well, I mean, you live here. I think you've heard some of the awful things that the mayor has said and how furious the public is. I don't remember there ever being anything like that when we were rangers. It's so weird."

"Yeah, I know, it's pretty strange."

"Do you happen to know how I could get in contact with them? Out of all of us, you've been a ranger the longest. Do you have any connections?"

 _I might know a certain someone and they may or may not be standing in the room._

"Um, I... I'm not sure."

"Damn, I was really hoping you knew," she sighed in frustration. "I really don't want to get one of these again to get in contact with them." She turned her body, revealing her right shoulder to Tommy which showed a peek of the bruised skin.

"Kim, that's huge," Tommy's eyes widened in horror as he stepped closer to inspect the purple discoloration. "How did you get this?"

"Again, it's not as bad as it looks, and I'm not really sure," she shrugged. "I think those Tyrannodrones did it."

"Tyrannodrones?" Of course. Thursday evening.

"Yeah, you know, putties but not as stupid," she chuckled lightly.

Tommy nodded, his forehead furrowed as he did his best to seem surprised she had been involved in a battle, "you saw tyrannodrones?"

"First day here. What a great welcome to Reefside, huh?"

Tommy merely shook his head, "Can't stay out of trouble, can you?"

"It wouldn't be me any other way."

He gulped as she turned her head over her shoulder, throwing him the sweetest eyes he'd ever seen. With the liquid courage currently coursing through his veins, his hand lifted, gently running the back of his fingers over the injury before him. Fire shot from beneath his hand. This wasn't how the night was supposed to go. He was supposed to walk her to her room, maybe arrange another dinner, give her a goodnight kiss on the cheek if he was lucky, but without a doubt, he wasn't supposed to be in her room, touching her, and dancing on a very thin wire.

Her heart was in full throttle as his soft fingers ran down her bare shoulder. Black overtook her visual senses as her full lashes fluttered closed, her skin melting beneath Tommy's touch. Rosy lips parted, not from pain, but from the amount of chemistry circulating between the two.

Tommy cleared his throat, bringing them both back from the clouds.

"Looks like it hurts," He murmured as he fought to restrain his hand from exploring more.

She left his side that instant, needing those few feet of space to cool her raging hormones. Reaching the mini-bar she pulled out the first thing she saw in a desperate attempt to avoid what fate had been trying to align. Twirling around to face him, she saw something in him. Darkness in his eyes as he too fought what they so desperately wanted, and that was each other.

She lifted her hand to appraise what she had just taken out. _Alcohol_. Not the best ally when you want to remain maturely conscious. Nevertheless, the damage had been done and she was now standing with a bottle of liquor and a giant sign that read: _I'm trying to get you drunk_ , on her forehead.

"Nothing a little scotch can't solve."

"Never took you as a scotch girl."

"There's a lot you don't know about me. Want to join me and find out," she said, her tone tinted with a hint of honey behind it.

"You know with this I _really_ won't be able to drive home."

"You thought you were driving home?" That came out more suggestive than she meant to. She blushed under his heated glare as she fought to control her thundering heart beat, "I meant with all the wine you've had I didnt think it would be safe. I was going to call you a cab."

 _Nice save._

"Well, then," he moved the few feet to her, towering over Kimberly when he reached her. Maintaining his sanity, he lowered his head, fanning her cheek with his breath. He could play this game too if she wanted. The lust was written all over her face, if he just lowered himself a couple of inches more he could give them both what they wanted. The flame between them had been slowly fed all night and it was now a raging fire. Her full lips cried out to him in desperate need, but the fact that they had already been partially impaired by the wine earlier today didn't leave his mind. With a smug smile, he took the bottle from her hands and stepped back, much to her surprise. "Where are the glasses?"

Her breath was still shaky from what had just occurred a few seconds ago. She hadn't realize how badly she wanted it until just that moment. Lily was right. She fought to maintain her composer that was threatening to turn into a puddle of water. With her soft eyes still trained on Tommy, she back stepped to the hotel room door.

"I'll get us some ice," she told him while he nodded.

Tommy now stood alone, exhaling a deep refreshing breath. He ran a hand through his short hair while his mind raced a mile a minute. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to control himself, the alcohol could be to blame, but it was more his teenage fantasies wanting to play out in his adult life.

His eyes trailed across the room before feasting his eyes on the bed. He placed himself on the edge, not giving it much thought until moments later he realized what he was doing. Would Kimberly think badly of him by making himself so comfortable where she slept? Would she get the wrong impression? He stood that instant and shifted himself to the chair by her desk. Again, was he being too chummy? He growled in frustration before settling on standing where he was before. God, he was more nervous that he thought.

Now his mind had shifted to if this was the right time to announce his secret identity. There was a reason Batman and Superman kept their identity a secret as best as they could, telling their loved ones could put them in danger. And although he knew Kimberly was more than capable of taking care of herself, he didn't want to put her in that position in the first place. But this was something that had to come out anyway. If he didn't tell her he could lose her before anything even began. He just had to find the time to break it to her gently and let her make the decision on her own. Besides, once he does tell her she can get her article completed and that in turn will help the Rangers.

The phone that had gone unused the whole evening suddenly made an unexpected _buzz_ that vibrated from his pocket to his brain. Like always, his hand unconsciously brought the item to his ear.

"Hello?"

" _Dr. O, on a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate me?_ " The voice came nervously from the other end.

"One if we can hang up in the next thirty seconds."

' _Well, that's definitely not gonna happen,'_ the red ranger thought to himself.

"What's going on, Connor?"

" _You see... We might need your help... With something._ "

"Connor," Tommy sighed. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. No good news ever comes late in the evening, less of all from one of his teammates, but whatever it was he just wanted to hear it already.

" _Reefside is getting attacked,"_ the red ranger regretfully informed.

Of course it is because the universe wouldn't just put him in one of the best situations without needing to rip him right out of it without an explanation.

"Now?"

" _I'm sorry, Dr. O, but I don't decide when Elsa and Zeltrax want to make their appearance._ "

Adding the two people that hated him the most to this mix was also definitely a big middle finger from the universe. I mean, what else could it be?

"Both of them?"

" _I wouldn't be calling you if wasn't absolutely necessary."_ Through breathless grunts Connor commanded his team into battle.

Tommy could hear the subtle cries of pain coming in through the phone from the white ranger. Connor made an executive decision that moment, " _Haley's back at the lab now. Maybe she can help us hold them off a little longer so you can have more time with Kim—_ "

Tommy was already grabbing his things before Connor even had the chance to finish his sentence. As much as it killed him to leave, he had a responsibility to his team and all of Reefside. "No, Connor, it's fine. I'll be there in a few minutes. Hang tight, guys."

" _I'm sorry."_

"Me too."

When Kimberly walked back into the hotel with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen, he swore his heart was torn right out of his chest and stomped on. He wanted this evening to go exactly how it had been going. He wanted to enjoy what could possibly be the best bottle of scotch he'd ever have in his life and ride the wave of consequences that came along with it, but as always something got in the way. It was always either 3000 miles, a new boy she met, or a battle he had to run off to.

She eyed him curiously as she carried a small bucket of ice. Something was wrong. _Maybe he'd changed his mind._

"You okay?"

Tommy shook his head regretful, "Kim, I have to go."

"Go? Okay, where are we going?" She asked, hoping that with the inclusion of ' _we_ ' he'd bring her along. This wasn't how she wanted the night to end. There was still more she wanted to say, more that was still _left_ to say.

"No, just— just me."

"What's going on? Is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything's fine. Please don't hate me for running out on you. I'll make it up to you. Have breakfast with me tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 9. I'll tell you everything then."

"Tommy—" He was gone before she even had the chance to finish his name.

She was left dazed and confused with a bucket of slowly melting ice in hand. The condensation clung to the metal container, slowly trickling down and landing on the tan carpet. Had she scared him off? Did he get the wrong impression? Falling to her chair in a huffed heap, she twirled a lock of her hair.

She skimmed over her unfinished article. _Might as well get some work in._ Before her pen was able to hit paper, her cellphone went off wildly. She jumped as she glared at the time. It was nearly 9:30 and she had absolutely no reason to be expecting a call.

Cautiously, she approached her phone and answered it without even thinking to read the caller ID.

"Hello?"

" _Kim!_ " Cassidy shouted from the other line, her voice raspy and distant.

"Are you okay?" Kimberly asked desperately. The teens quivering voice had her shaking with worry.

" _Reefside is getting attacked,_ " Cassidy informed through the staticky line. She'd murmured a few inaudible sentences to her sidekick before a wave of hysteria from the public came through the line.

" _We're on the scene! The rangers are here!_ " Devin added from behind distant screams.

"Where are you guys?" Kimberly asked desperately.

" _Downtown!_ "

Flipping her phone closed, Kimberly dropped her attention to a nearby map. She was less than 5 minutes away, she could make it on time. Looking at her work and her sad bottle of liquor Kimberly at least knew one thing, she would surely see _some_ form of action tonight.

* * *

 **Author note:** hey there! What did you guys think of this chapter? I had a lot of fun writing this. It was nice getting to explore that aspect of their relationship. I've had this idea in my head for so long and it was nice to have it play out how I envisioned. The whole letter thing had to come out sooner or later, so this is how I chose to do it. It isn't completely unrealistic to me that Kimberly would indeed find someone else. These things happen in life all the time. I apologize if this is dialogue heavy for some of you, but this is a chapter that could only play out this way. I forgot to mention last chapter that the two episodes Tommy and Kimberly were referring too were 02x47: Best Man for the Job, and 02x50: Wild West Rangers. Anyway, please be sure to leave me your feedback in the form of a review or a PM for those private folks! I absolutely love seeing what you guys think and it just makes my day! It truly does :) I'll be sure to get the next chapter out soon. hint: it's action packed!


	8. Chapter 8

Connor winced as his back made contact with the asphalt. The powerful tyrannodrone roared over him, setting a heavy foot on the red suited ranger. Lifting his spiked boot, the tyrannodrone thrusted all his strength into stomping on Connor. Using his quick speed, he rolled from underneath the minion and barely missed what would have been a severe injury.

Kira sprinted to his side, wielding her Ptera Grips she sliced through the tyrannodrone and beheaded it the process. Connor nodded his appreciation to the yellow ranger as he rested himself on his elbows, his back still comfortably on the ground as he tried to capture his breath.

"I think you're gonna need this," Kira smirked as she handed him his Tyranno Staff that had slipped from his hands just moments earlier.

Connor planted the bottom of his staff straight into the ground as he used the weapon as a cane to get back up.

Ethan bolted through a sea of tyrannodrones using his Tricera Shield to hit them along the way and destroy some that got in his path. The reptilian minions fell in a heap, oozing slime like blood from their wounds.

Elsa growled in anger as she watched her army got destroyed. With her sword in hand she followed what she assumed was the weakest of the bunch, the yellow ranger. Unfortunately for her, they were all equally as powerful and the chase between Elsa and Kira was on. Kira moved quickly, blocking each and every swing of Elsa's sword. They grunted as the tension grew between them, the yellow ranger dripped sweat beneath her heavy helmet.

Kira twirled her body and kicked Elsa's weapon right out of her hand, landing several feet away from her.

"Aren't you a feisty little one," Elsa smirked viscously.

Crouching in a runners pose, Elsa sprinted to where her sword sat. Catching the chaos from afar, Connor used his Tyranno staff and sent a blast of energy Elsa's way.

"Ahh," Elsa winced as sparks ricocheted off the floor and onto her unprotected hand. Soothing her injury with her chest, she turned her attention to where the beam came from. Scowling , Elsa spoke, "How sweet of you to defend your little girlfriend."

 _Vomit_. Both Kira and Connor nearly laughed at that one. They never realized Elsa could be quite hilarious.

The white ranger emerged behind Elsa as he held her lost sword. "Why don't you just leave them alone," Trent barked as he appraised the weapon.

"Ah, I sense a messy little love triangle," Elsa taunted as she looked to the three colorful Rangers.

 _Vomit: The Sequel_.

"No, thanks," Connor cringed. He threw a sheepish grin at Kira, even though she couldn't see it.

Elsa charged toward the ranger that held her weapon with all her strength. Thinking quickly, Trent threw the sword in the air to Kira's direction. The yellow ranger grabbed it by the handle and began using the weapon to slice into incoming Tyrannodrones.

Kiras eyes widened at the sabers ability to shred right through the reptiles. Her lips parted from an astonished gasp to an amused smile. She could get used to this one.

When Elsa changed directions to the yellow ranger, Kira threw the mighty sword in the red Rangers direction for a childish but effective game of keep away. Unfortunately for the red ranger, Elsa's ally was coming for Connor.

With no struggle, Zeltrax reached his arm up and stopped the weapon from reaching its destination. The blade landed on the floor, clattering to a halt.

With a powerful back hand swing, Zeltrax sent the red ranger flying across the air, causing him to lose his grip on his Tyranno staff in the process. Connor yelped and flailed until he landed ungracefully on the gritty asphalt, cracking the road from the force of impact. His helmet wore visible scratches, evidence of its necessity for survival.

"Why don't you put down your weapon and fight melike a real man," Connor groaned while he struggled to get up. The red ranger clutched his bruised rib, coming to a wobbly stance.

The cyborgs eyes narrowed while he smiled. It would be his pleasure to cause more pain to the puny human.

With Kira, Ethan, and Trent preoccupied with more tyrannodrones that she summoned, Elsa sprinted to grasp her scratched weapon that still sat on the ground. She smiled as she felt the power of her sword course through her veins when she gripped it.

"You can never give me a day off, can you," Tommy announced as he stepped out of the nights darkness and under a street light into Elsa's view.

"Wouldn't dream of it, baby," She stated sarcastically.

"Well, I think it's time we end things for good."

"Surely a gentleman wouldn't hit a lady," Elsa taunted as she moved towards the black suited ranger slowly.

Tommy cocked his head in amusement, "For you... I'll make an exception." With those words said he pulled out his Brachio Staff just in time to block Elsa's attack.

She grunted while using her strength to press down on her sword. As the moments dragged on, Tommy began to feel the slight effects of the alcohol working through his system. He swung his staff at Elsa, but completely missed her. His vision blurred as he tried to find his balance.

With her brow raised in amusement, Elsa swiveled her sword, slicing Tommy's left pectoral. With a simple push to disentangle herself from him, Elsa sent Tommy stumbling backwards, slamming his spine onto the tall lamp post. He hissed as he gripped his bloody chest.

Writhing in agony up against the pole, Tommy fell to his knees.

Trent ran to his mentor, helping him steady his balance after the hard blow. He turned, now facing Elsa's heated glare. "Dr. O, thank God you're here."

Tommy clutched his helmet with both hands, his head whirling as he shook his mind clear.

"Are you— are you drunk," Connor managed to get out as he sent Zeltrax flying into an abandoned building by a blast from his Tyranno Staff.

"What? No!" Tommy protested although the bottle of wine he and Kimberly downed could definitely be playing a role on his ungracefully coordination.

"Are you sure because you're stumbling all over the place," Kira bellowed as she joined his side.

"I'm fine, guys. Let do this," he told them as they all nodded. They aimed their weapons at Elsa, but smirking she opened a portal and allowed healthy Tyrannadrones to fall through.

Connor led his team back into battle, this time more united than ever. With their back to one another, they fought the incoming threat with ease. Their array of weapons were twirled, swung, and swiveled with each victory. Connor and Tommy sent orb like blasts into a cluster of Tyrannadrones. The explosion combusted the beings from within. Their innards filled with toxins that caused an eruption, sending their limbs splattering through the street. The remains painted the Rangers a shade of red. Elsa growled in fury and disgust as she wiped the remnants off her face and clothing.

This plan wasn't going exactly how Elsa and Zeltrax originally wanted, but nevertheless, with the Rangers distracted they used this time to send a small army to capture that stupid journalist. Unfortunately for them, a group of tyrannodrones had already been dispersed by Zeltrax's orders to the restaurant and had come back empty handed. But Elsa wasn't mad, in fact she was over the moon because this was a job she wanted to handle personally. Oh, she would find Kimberly Hart. There was no doubt about that.

"Sorry I'm late, guys," Kimberly whispered as she brushed down her skintight dress. She tiptoed from behind a torn building, hiding behind the rubble with the two teens.

"Kim, you're here," Cassidy beamed enthusiastically. She eyed Kimberly's outfit with a curious brow. _Some dress for what was not a date._

"Finally! Sorry it took me so long," Kimberly heaved while trying to catch her breath. She crouched out of sight, but stumbled down as she tried to maintain her posture.

"You probably would have gotten here faster if you switched your shoes," Devin smirked while helping Kimberly back up.

Although super stylish, her black 5 inch pumps didn't make the best accessory for snooping during a battle.

"Yeah, I guess I would have," Kimberly sighed, kicking off her heels. "How are they doing?"

"They're doing all right," Cassidy shrugged. "The black ranger on the other hand... He seems out of it."

"Out of it?" Kimberly once again stumbled back. This time she opted to rest on her knees, leaving no room for a shaky balance.

The blond teen nodded while pointing to the battle unfolding before them. The colorful Rangers seemed to be taking a few blows, but were still able to fight the Tyrannadrones with ease. The black ranger, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling.

Tommy swung his Brachio Staff, making contact with the tyrannodrones chest he was fending off, but a simple shove that would normally not effect him, had him stumbling from side to side.

"Yeah, like he's drunk or something. It's actually pretty hilarious," Cassidy stifled a chuckle.

Devin, who had his camera resting on his knee from his crouched position, smirked while turning to the young journalist, "You too, actually... Are _you_ drunk?"

"What? No!"

"Really because you kind of smell like Chardonnay..." Cassidy eyed her curiously before she took a quick whiff of Kimberly, "Circa 1999."

"And you had lamb chops," Devin added as he followed Cassidy's sniffing lead. The two ladies brows raised in confusion. Devin ignored their glares, "Or is that duck? No, no, it's definitely lamb."

"Okay, can we get back to business." Kimberly ushered Devin to bring his camera up, capturing the yellow and blue ranger brawling with Elsa.

The white Rangers attacked Zeltrax on his own, a personal vendetta locked in his brain.

Connor joined soon after, tag teaming with the white ranger to take down Zeltrax to the best of their abilities.

Kimberly's nose wrinkled as she took in the cyborg. This large creature that was stronger than anything she'd ever seen before. His black armor blended with the night, giving him superior advantage to the rainbow colored suits of the Rangers fighting along side him. His sword was bigger and wider than anything she'd ever come across and she shivered at the thought of being on the receiving end.

The powerful maniacal laugh erupting from Zeltrax's lungs whenever one of the Rangers fell in defeat was chilling.

The black ranger took on a small army a few steps away from the Rangers. They isolated him, ripping him away from receiving any help from any of his teammates. Even with his wobbly legs betraying him, he was able to handle himself. That was until his helmet made contact with a closed fist from a tyrannodrone, throwing him onto his back in an earth quaking slam.

"I can't just sit here and watch this," Kimberly murmured to herself as she stole Cassidy's shoes right from under her and slipped them on.

"What are you doing?" Cassidy's small hand grasped Kimberly's forearm, halting her from her departure. The young teens eyes were widened in a mix of fear and distress.

Disentangling herself from Cassidy's grasp, Kimberly confessed, "I have to go help him!"

Devin glanced as his best friend fought to keep Kimberly with them. When he saw Cassidy's fear struck eyes turn into absolute panic, he knew he had to speak up and see if he couldn't get to the small woman.

"Kim, you're not a ranger!"

Taking just the smallest moment to ponder on that statement, Kimberly shook her head. Sure she may not technically be a ranger, but she was one a lifetime ago. There was a lesson she learned just that moment and she had to make damn sure that these kids didn't wait another 10 years to figure out. "You don't need to wear a uniform to be a hero!"

Leaving the twosome to stare blankly at what she said, she used that opportunity to bolt out of there and into the battlefield.

Tommy grunted beneath his helmet. The furious beast that was the tyrannodrone straddled the black ranger, fighting to dig his sword end limb into Tommy's chest. His face contorted as he used both arms to keep the blade from piercing him, but his muscles were losing the battle as the tip end came mere centimeters from his suit.

With a slim pole found in the rubble of downtown Reefside, Kimberly drove the sharp end into the reptiles brain, impaling it and ending its short and meaningless life. It's brain matter splattered onto Tommy's helmet in speckles. The large tyrannodrone still sat heavily on Tommy's body, blocking his view as to who his savior was. When Kimberly used the attached pole to discard its remains off to his side, Tommy's heart nearly spilled out of his chest. Of course he was thankful, but the last thing he wanted was Kimberly out in the battlefield again. Especially with Zeltrax roaming around.

"Hi, need some help," Kimberly gave a cheeky smile, handing her right hand to the black ranger.

 _He left her safe in the hotel room. What the hell was she doing here?_

Following her lead, Tommy took her helping hand. When a series of large tyrannodrones made their way to them, the duo nodded an unspoken understanding and dove into a rhythmic combat. They used each other as tools in fending off the beings. Once again their minds synced into one like when they were teens, each anticipating the others move and reading the others mind.

Kimberly took Tommy's gloved hand, using the other for sturdy support to side kick a reptile coming from either side.

She was impressed with herself. Even years of no combat couldn't keep her down. With Kimberly's ego and a touch of liquid courage from the Chardonnay, she attempted a slew of back flips, kicking any beings out of the way in the process. Although successful, she wasn't immune to the effects of the wine, and now she was undoubtedly feeling it's wrath threatening to spill out.

 _Oh this was too good to be true. The chum came to a shark tank all on her own._

The cyborgs eyes landed on his grand prize. With her full attention on the tyrannodrones wreaking havoc in downtown Reefside, Kimberly kept her back unprotected. A rookie mistake caused by years of no action.

Zeltrax narrowed his gaze as he marched behind her at a furious pace, completely abandoning the battle he was facing with the other Rangers. With a snap of his fingers he ordered Tyrannadrones to take his place in battle, keeping Trent and Connor occupied. Tommy barely had the sense to catch a glimpse of the enemy from the corner of his eyes.

Using all his synthetic strength, Zeltrax wrapped an arm over Kimberly's chest and held his sharp blade to the thin column of her throat. She gulped as she felt the heat from the blade touching the delicate skin. Struggling to get free, Kimberly bucked her legs, kicking and thrusting as she fought for her release.

The Rangers attention flew to the commotion happening a few feet down the long street as they tore apart the last of the tyrannodrones.

"Get away from her," Trent sneered. Tommy moved forward, his mind racing a mile a minute as he watched Kimberly's life being threatened by the one person that hated him the most.

"Nuh-uh, black ranger," Zeltrax growled, "take one more step and I'll slit her throat right here and now."

The red ranger clutched his fists.

"What do you want with her," Connor barked back.

"Nothing. I'm just trying to get to know your little friend," Zeltrax tightened his grip on Kimberly, causing a painful hiss to flee her lips. Her head flew back, resting on the hard metal of his shoulder as his blade filled hand came to caress her cheek. His grip tightened around her face, pinching her cheeks together and causing her lips to purse out. Her chest heaved powerfully as the seriousness of the situation set in. "And my, my is she pretty. Don't you think so, black ranger?"

Tommy's teeth gritted in pure fury, his nostrils flared and the raging air fuming out of him fogged up his visor. No way in hell would Zeltrax live to see tomorrow if he hurt Kimberly. His head was a scrambled mess, different diversions and plans on how he would get Kimberly out of this mess running through it.

"Let her go," kira demanded. Her right leg moved forward and that in turn caused Zeltrax to bring the blade right back to Kimberly's throat.

"Go? But we wanted to bring her back to our master, but sure I'll let her go. If the black Rangers asks me nicely," Zeltrax cocked his head as he smiled knowingly. A ridiculous intergalactic treaty was signed thousands of years ago when man first evolved. Humans and villains could fight side by side as long as the identity of the Rangers remained a secret. Even if Zeltrax wanted to he couldn't reveal who the Rangers were, but having them do it voluntarily was a different story. "How about it? You've been so quiet over there. Speak and I'll let her go."

There was no doubt in Zeltrax's mind that Kimberly had no idea who the Rangers were. The Black Ranger had been trying to keep his little secret from her and he couldn't think of a better way to ruin that for him.

Cassidy and Devin watched everything unfold before them as they peered over a building. The blonde closed her eyes with her back resting on a broken down brick wall. She whimpered in frustration as she slammed the back of her head to the destroyed building. As she turned to say something to Devin, she saw him leave her side.

"Where are you going," Cassidy said through gritted teeth.

"To be a hero!" Devin reached for the ground, picking up a leftover blade-arm from a dismembered tyrannodrone. Wielding the heavy metal object, he had never felt so powerful. He charged forward toward the cyborg, yelling as he released his fears with every breath and inhaled a bout of courage.

Devin crouched behind Zeltrax at a rapid pace and spun on his heels, giving himself no time to talk himself out of anything. The sharp scrap of metal made contact with the cyborgs right leg before he used all his strength to kick the severed leg like a soccer ball. The L shaped metal soared across the sky and landed several feet away, bouncing and screeching as it made contact with asphalt.

"Ahhh," Zeltrax roared in pain as he lost his grip on Kimberly.

Using this moment to her advantage, Kimberly ran from his arms, but was restrained by a hand to her brown wavy hair. She brought her hands to her tresses to try and remove the grip of the unknown person yanking on her as she hissed in pain.

Zeltrax's mind was pinned on the pain shooting from his leg. As he looked down he found the bottom portion of his leg was completely missing. Multi colored wires peaked from where they once rested, the exposed copper sparked wildly causing them to spill onto the road.

Zeltrax roared in anger as he turned to find the cause of his pain. Devins eyes didn't even have time to fully widened before Zeltrax back handed the young teen. The young body flew little a rag doll several feet above the ground before landing and skidding on the gritty road until it came to a full stop.

"Devin!" Cassidy cried out as she ran towards the teen, his body still and ragged.

The Rangers charged forward before a wave of a sword was shined in front of them. Kimberly was taken into the arms of none other than Elsa and once again threatened with an even longer blade to her throat.

"Don't think I won't do it," the long ponytail wearer huffed.

With a wave of Elsa's hand, an invisiportal opened. The familiar whirlpool was immediately recognize by Kimberly and now she had no doubt that Anton Mercer was indeed working with the dark side. The electrical snapping echoed in Kimberly's ear as she fought to get free from Elsa's grip. The Rangers watched helplessly as Kimberly was slowly being brought closer to the whirling portal. Littered trash danced above their heads as the wind from the portal picked up.

Kimberly had to make a decision right now. She could either hit back and risk the chance of being killed or be taken to wherever the hell that portal took you and be captured. Through it all she knew one thing, she was never going to go out without a fight.

With Tommy running through her mind for the briefest of moments, Kimberly silently thanked him for the woman's self defense class he instructed. Using all her strength, she thrusted her elbows back in a series of sharp jabs, digging them into the sensitive areas of Elsa's ribs. Elsa groaned in pain as she lost her balance trying to catch her breath. With one thing left to do, Kimberly brought her muscular gymnast leg and kicked Elsa right in the abdomen, sending her tumbling back a few steps.

The Black Rangers eyes lit up as he realized exactly what she was doing. Taking a deep breath, he charged forward toward the scuffle between Elsa and Kimberly. With his brachio staff fully out he took Kimberly by her hand, removing her from harms way, and dug his sword into Elsa's side, slicing her natural waist.

Elsa clutched her injury as red oozed from the wound. She hissed in both pain and rage as the blood collected in her hands. She stood up as the teen Rangers made their way towards the two, but she leaped into the invisiportal without as much as a word.

"You haven't seen the last of me," Zeltrax roared before he too vanished into the invisiportal.

The portal thundered violently as it closed, leaving behind no traces of its existence.

Tommy turned as he found Kimberly tear brimmed eyes. Her small hand was over her chest in a simple attempt to tame the beating of her heart. He dropped his staff right on the ground as he moved to her side. He didn't even have to think twice about it.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Kimberly whimpered quietly as Tommy cupped her cheek. His eyes trailed down her body, desperately searching for any injury. She kept repeating her previous words, reassuring not only him but also herself. The fear was visibly painted on Kimberly's face and if she could see his beneath the helmet, she would see his was too.

Letting his body go into autopilot, Tommy enveloped Kimberly in his arms hastily. After remaining breathless during Zeltrax and Elsa's exchange with Kimberly, Tommy was finally able to exhale the trembling fear that was building up in his lungs. His arms wrapped protectively around her, soothing her fear and worries. This was exactly why he was hesitant to tell Kimberly he was back in the ranger business in the first place. The bruises on her shoulder was just the first sign, and now that he saw her directly targeted, he knew he had to keep her away from this as much as possible. Kimberly was walking on dangerous territory and if Mesogog, Elsa, or Zeltrax found out anything about what she knew, she would be on their hit list for sure.

Her head was buried in the crook of his neck as she released a muffled sob, something she didn't even know was lodged deep within. That was too close. There was a reason she had stayed away from the ranger business and this was just a painful reminder of why she did. She didn't regret coming to the Black Rangers defense, especially when he so desperately needed it, but she wished she wouldn't have been so careless with her life. This was her life. She didn't own anything more precious or important than that, and it being threatened had her reevaluating everything.

Kimberly's head nestled on Tommy's chest while she heard the irregular beating of his raging heart. Her dainty hands clung to the back of his suit, forming fists as she brought herself as close as physically possible to him. His suit was covered in blood, and she wasn't sure whose it was. Whether is was his, his friends, or the Tyrannadrones remained a mystery.

His eyes closed beneath his helmet as he allowed himself to comfort her in the only way he knew how. This was the closest he'd been to her in years, even their dinner today didn't allow him to get this personal. The world around him disappeared for the briefest of moments as he began to get lost in her embrace.

Even now Kimberly couldn't understand this magnetic pull she felt to the black ranger, or why she felt the need to be at his side, but she knew better than to question her instincts. His arms served as a security blanket, minimizing the gut-churning sensation building in her body.

She twirled her head as the shocking reminder of who saved her from Zeltrax came rushing in. Disentangling herself from the Black Rangers embrace, Kimberly made the trip to the heroic teen currently spread out like a starfish in quick strides. She kneeled down beside the blond that had a shaky hand on his chest. Kimberly's hand lifted, offering support as she soothed Cassidy's back with small circles.

The Dino Rangers charged forward, surrounding the three civilians. The otherwise snarky teen was in near tears as she watched her best friend. His face was coated with a thin layer of dust, the scrapes on his face were seeping fresh blood, and there was a silence from Devin that had Cassidy petrified.

And just like a child's first breath, Devin inhaled deeply and sharply. Cassidy sighed in relief as she wrapped her arms around her injured best friend. "Thank God," she cried joyfully.

Devin groaned in pain and shock as he too wrapped a bruised arm around his blond companion. The last several minutes was a complete blur of chaos and screaming, but if what he did had Cassidy draped all over him, he could live with that. After all, it was no secret that he was completely enamored with her. Cassidy leaned back only briefly as she gave her best friend the gentlest kiss on his cheek. It was a sweet moment that Devin would never forget.

Connor really couldn't stomach more of Cassidy being anything other than viscously evil. He cleared his throat to gather the attention of the other Rangers who seemed just as weirded out by her display of affection.

Noting the audience Cassidy had, she too cleared her throat and leaned back to sit on her feet. Smacking Devin on his arm, she returned to her usual self, "I should kill you for what you did."

Her words were suddenly drowned out by a gathering crowd of angry onlookers. The fine citizens had finally decided to come out of hiding after the threat from Elsa and Zeltrax was over.

Kira patted Trent on the shoulder to garner his attention as the incoming crowd formed larger. As something straight out of a _Frankenstein_ movie, the angry mob began to surround the Rangers, screaming profanities.

Tommy looked out to the sea of people. He was sure it was the alcohol in his system, but he couldn't shake the image of an angry toothless man holding a pitchfork and a torch up in the front. Blinking wildly to clear his eyes, Tommy turned to Connor who seemed immobilized by the reaction they were receiving. With a tug of his arm, Tommy beckoned his head back, ushering the Rangers away from Cassidy, Devin, Kimberly, and the incoming mob.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Hey there! Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter. I truly tried my best in trying to capture a "true" action sequence, but this is only my second time writing a scene. I want to apologize if it isn't the best. It was fun venturing out into some unfamiliar territory though! We had a nice moment between Kim/black ranger and Cassidy/Devin. Anyway, let me know what you think in the form of a review or a PM. It always makes my day! Until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

The quiet night of the Royal Reefside Hotel had ended. A large whirling portal appeared on the third floor, localizing itself in room 308. The large cyborg leaped through the portal and into the lowly lit room, struggling to find his balance.

Elsa groaned, one hand tightly clutching her side as blood oozed out slowly. She hissed in pain, stumbling shakily through the small hotel room. Her nose wrinkled while her eyes closed, using her best points of meditation to fight the discomfort away.

She would never forgive the black ranger for what he did to her. At least she was able to get a few cuts into him before it all came spiraling down.

Kimberly Hart was more important to him that she realized and for that, she hated her; nay, despised her. Thinking back to just moments before she wished she would have just slit that nuisances throat and called it a day. Maybe she would have left with more than just a laceration to her waist, but it would have been worth it. Again, she groaned. The pain radiating from her wound screaming for attention.

Her adrenaline was running furiously, the abundance of blood loss now taking its affect. Her feeble body was living in a fiery inferno, but her extremities were ice cold, numbness following close by. She assessed the room with eyes half open, her quick breathing drowning all her thoughts.

"Where are we," she grunted through harsh breaths, "We're supposed to be back at the lab."

"I altered our coordinates," Zeltrax informed as he took in his surroundings. "Apparently this place was the last known location of Kimberly Hart."

Taking a seat on the soft made bed, Elsa rolled her eyes. "Zeltrax, I'm bleeding over here," she spat out venomously.

"And you don't think I understand your pain? I'm missing the bottom portion of my leg for God's sake," He roared in anger at his companion before turning and knocking various things off the oak wood dresser.

He growled at the memory of the teenage boy using his own dismembered soldier as a weapon against him. Even a synthetic being like himself still felt pain. He couldn't think of anything better than to channel this pain into something more and use it as motivation to ruin Tommy Oliver.

Elsa flinched at the incoming inanimate objects, scowling when a few made contact with her bruised body. A tidal wave of agony washed over her, her teeth gritted. Her knuckles turned bone white as she clutched a handful of sheets. She released her death grip gradually, allowing the pain to slowly subside. Her hands leaving behind a bloody trail of prints on the fresh linen. The long black ponytail attached to her head sat over her left shoulder, giving her warmth while her teeth chattered. She shook her head vehemently, fighting with herself to stay conscious.

"We need to get out of here... both of us." She gulped to quench her ever growing thirst. The world began spinning as she set her wobbling legs firmly on the ground and pulled herself up.

"We can't!" Zeltrax ran a frustrated hand over his hard face. The memory of what that felt like as a human relieving some of the tension.

"Why not?"

The cyborg leaned against the tall oak wardrobe, using it as a crutch. "Do you really want to go back to Mesogog having had failed... Again? He'd kill us!" He huffed, "We can't go back empty handed!"

Finding the will within herself, Elsa gave a sarcastic snort, "Are you stupid enough to think he didn't see us fail on the viewing screen already?"

"I'm willing to take the risk," Zeltrax hissed through gritted teeth. He waddled around the room, using the furniture to cruise around. "How about instead of whining you help me find something of importance."

She growled lowly before following orders. With one hand applying pressure to her wound, she began limping to the various drawers and cabinets in the room.

The small hotel room was turned upside down. Kimberly's suitcase had been broken into, her clothes were thrown haphazardly across the room as Zeltrax searched for _something_... _Anything_. His shredded leg spewed sparks from the exposed wires, lighting his way throughout the suite. His inability to think of anything other that his pain hindered his search. He flipped the mattress in rage, his leg creating small burns on the carpet as the fire continued to lightly shower down.

Elsa ignored her momentary ally, his tantrums were ones she'd gotten used to. At least his outbursts never had her fearing for her life. Also, she found great joy in destroying Kimberly's room, there was a sense of pleasure that came with breaking her personal belonging. It took the attention from her waist. Still, she couldn't fight the obvious mix of fruity perfume and a masculine scent of cologne that lingered through the room. _He_ had been in here too, and that fact had her fuming with jealousy.

She moved slowly to a desk sitting at the far end of the wall to rest.

Peaking into a bucket of mostly water with a few stray ice cubes floating on top, she groaned at her horrid reflection. Water pooled below the metal canister, creating rings on the wood as condensation trickled down the sides. She swirled her finger around the cold liquid, coloring it pink from the residue of blood on her hands, but felt nothing. Her impending death prohibited feeling in her fingertips.

Her eyes nearly left her when they landed on the glass bottle with the most beautiful amber colored alcohol she had ever seen. Finding salvation at last, she opened the contents with a soft pop and brought the room temperature bottle of scotch to her lips. She took a soothing gulp, her lipstick leaving black marks on the rim. The burning liquid gave her the extra push she needed until they could get back to the lab.

All hope was almost lost before she narrowed her vision to the disheveled stack of papers resting on the desk. Her shaky fingers picked up the material, her blood curling the edges of the pages. She released a shaky laughed reading the material before her, her emotions were going haywire. Her rage and pain cumulated into erratic laughter, stunning Zeltrax who was searching the night stands beside the destroyed bed.

"What's so funny?" Zeltrax moved slowly to Elsa, taking the red coated pages from her freezing fingers.

He smirked as he read praises for the Rangers written by Kimberly's own hand. It was ridiculous.

Elsa's laugh had subsided, the stupidity of it all now settling her emotions. Zeltrax flipped the various pages of notes before something in particular caught his attention.

' _Elsa - Appears mortal, should be easily taken out, villain equivalent of a chihuahua.'_

The cyborg couldn't contain his fit of laughter that moment. Elsa ripped the pages from his hands and scowled at their findings. The nerve of that woman to call her that. She continued reading down the page, her curiosity raising at just what they could have stumbled into.

 _'Principal Randall - strange woman, authoritative, keep an eye on her.'_

 _'Mesogog -_ _Unknown'_

 _'Zeltrax - Unknown'_

"What the hell is all of this?" Elsa handed the page to Zeltrax, sharing the startling information Kimberly had gathered.

The cyborg was stumped, he couldn't think of a logical reason for her research.

"I... I don't know. What did you say she did for a living again?"

Elsa pondered for a moment before realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She turned to Zeltrax, her eyes widened. "She's a journalist."

 _'Anton Mercer - Find out all information on him, odd behavior. Portal. Could be influencing the mayor.'_

 _'Mayor Abrams- always missing. Must get meeting with him SOON.'_

Her brows raised, lips parted in disbelief. "Is she writing an article to expose us?"

Crumpling the pages in his hands, Zeltrax growled lowly. "She may be a bigger threat than we thought."

* * *

Pacing back and forth in the lab with her arms folded across her chest, Haley was certain that something terrible had happened. She stole glances at the large clock hanging on the rocky textured wall, counting another minute that passed by. She couldn't stand still even if she wanted to. Being brilliant had its perks, but it also came with the downside of having a brain that wouldn't shut up. It came easy for her to imagine the most devastating scenarios. Add to that the angry citizens of Reefside and Mesogog still lurking around, it was no wonder why she was sweating bullets.

She walked hastily to her desk, pressing the communication button to get in contact with the Rangers, but once again, her call went unanswered.

"Okay, okay, okay, they should be fine," she whispered to herself as she dragged a heavy hand through her long red hair. "It hasn't been _that_ long since I last spoke to them. I'm sure they'll be here _riiiight_ now."

Her eyes shot to the large unopened metal doors, hoping for some movement.

 _Drat_.

She threw her arms down sharply, softly releasing whines of impatience like a child.

"Come on, Haley, pull yourself together. They're smart, courageous, completely capable of handling themselves, and to top it off they're—"

Trent and Ethan walked in calmly through the large doors, their helmets tucked under their arms as they shared soft chuckles at whatever they were discussing.

"—dead meat," Haley growled.

Kira and Conner followed close behind, each with an arm around Tommy's waist helping him inside as they bickered with each other under their breaths.

The yellow and red ranger dropped Tommy on his chair in a heap. The black ranger winced from the pain in his chest.

Conner nodded to the red head that had her hands balled up into fists to her side, "What's up?"

 _What's up?_ She was pissed.

"Where have you guys been," Haley asked in exasperation. "I sent the raptor cycles to you guys over an hour and a half ago."

"Don't blame us," Ethan held his hands up in defense. He reached for the mini fridge, grabbing a few bottles of water and throwing them at his teammate. He walked over to Tommy still slumped in his chair and handed him the refreshing bottle. Beckoning to Tommy with his head, Ethan said, "Blame teacher of the year over here."

"He's drunk," Kira explained calmly as she took a sip from her water.

Haley's brow raised slightly, her arms crossing across her chest. She turned to Tommy, shooting him a death glare, "Drunk?"

"I'm not drunk!" Tommy sighed, slowly using his arms to push himself into a standing position and off the chair. "I...I had some wine earlier, okay? I don't usually drink so it kind of hit me a little hard."

Conner planted himself into the newly unoccupied chair, he slumped down, using his long legs to swivel himself back and forth. He smiled cheekily at his teammate, "Can't handle your alcohol?"

"I can handle it just fine, Conner."

Haley shook her head, sighing lightly, "Can't say I'm not disappointed, Tommy."

The Black Rangers eyes fell. In his defense, he didn't know Reefside was going to get attacked. If he did, he wouldn't have had all that to drink.

Haley chuckled a little to Tommy's surprise. She took the short walk beside him, placing a gentle hand to his shoulder. "I mean, what happened to the guy that could do the perfect keg stand?"

"Keg stand?" Kira nearly spit out her drink at that revelation. This was something she had to hear.

Haley nodded while Tommy shrunk in embarrassment.

If it wasn't for that ridiculous personal gain rule he put in place, he wouldn't have hesitated to use his invisibility powers.

"This guy was the king back in college," Haley said in amusement, getting engrossed with her college memories. The teens were all ears, narrowing closer to hear a rare story about Tommy. "He once jammed out to Black Sabbath, drank a full 40, and still managed to ace his finals."

Ethan's mouth dropped. He could surely use his tips once he began school in the fall. "What? No way!"

"Black Sabbath? Did you go to college in the 70s," Trent stifled a laugh.

"I guess we know where he got that hair inspiration. Trying to channel your inner Ozzy there, Dr. O," Conner smirked as he continued to swivel in his seat, watching the bright shade of red his mentors face was currently wearing.

"Hey, I was a fan," Tommy shrugged.

"You're a lot cooler than we thought, Dr. O," Kira laughed. Being a musician, she loved rock and roll. It was right up her alley.

Hearing about the wild side their mentor had was refreshing. He'd always been so private and it wasn't until just this week that they'd realized he was human after all. I mean, they never even had the thought that he even had a love life. All four teens nearly cringed at that mental picture. Surely they knew there was more to Dr. Oliver after he took off the ranger suit and the teacher hat, but it wasn't something they had ever experienced first hand. Tommy kept them at a distance, needing to keep that barrier between adult and teenager.

Conner shook his head, he wasn't _that_ cool. "Yeah, yeah, but he also used to date the hottest babe in school, and well, now he's not. Let those days live in the past."

"I don't know about that, Conner," Haley added. "He _did_ have a date tonight."

"It wasn't a date," everyone in the room said in unison before they burst into a fit of laughter.

"Alright, alright, you've had your laughs." Tommy would be sure to get Haley for that little story later.

"Anyway," Haley put out a hand, bringing the teens back to her original subject, "it still doesn't explain why you guys took so long."

"We had to keep his cycle straight to keep him from running into every tree and ditch." Trents eyes rolled at the memory. Every few moments one of the Rangers had to extend one of their hands and try and straighten out the wheel. It didn't always work and with Tommy's stubbornness, he would keep over correcting the wheel, causing the cycle to veer left or right sharply. The white Rangers nose wrinkled, "You know, you really live in the middle of nowhere."

Haley stared at them with her brows raised. Were they acting or were they really that stupid? "Why didn't you guys just put the cycle on autopilot?"

 _Shit_.

"See, this is why we let you handle all the technical stuff." Conner moved to the snack table at the far end of the lab and picked a shiny red apple to chomp on. He tossed it in the air repeatedly as he worked his way back to his team.

The brilliant red head surveyed Tommy slowly. She circled around him, one arm resting under her chest and one hand to her chin. With a mischievous smirk, Haley brought two fingers to Tommy's chest. She pushed at his chest lightly, causing a slight loss of balance.

He was tipsy. There was no denying that.

His arms came to his side, using them to steady himself. Tommy hissed at the pain in his chest as he brought his right hand over his left pectoral, clutching his slightly torn black suit.

"Feeling patriotic, Dr. O?" Conner said with a mouthful of apple, juices dripping ungracefully down his chin.

"He's hurt," Kira informed Haley.

Uh-oh. Haley wasn't qualified to handle big medical jobs. She just hoped that whatever Tommy was hiding under his suit wasn't as bad as she imagined. "What's wrong?"

"Elsa sliced him pretty bad," Trent told her.

With an usher from Hayley's hand, he sat on the gurney of their makeshift medical center.

Haley's nose wrinkled at the mix of blood and gritty remains staining the black spandex. She pulled down the back of his zipper, carefully peeling away the suit from Tommy's bloody and bruised body.

Her face twisted at the large gash on Tommy chest. How the hell was he not thrashing on the floor?

"Tommy, I think you're going to need to go to a hospital."

He looked at her like she had just grown two heads, she was crazy.

"Come on, Haley, you know I can't do that," He inhaled sharply at the pain. "Is there anything you can do?"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, her foot tapping on the sleek floor as she came up with a way to fix him.

"I mean, I'm brilliant, but I'm no doctor. I think you're going to need stitches, but I'll see what I can do."

Tommy have her a weak smile. At least she was trying.

"Med-kit!" Haley called out.

Searching a tall cabinet in the lab, Kira pulling out a large medical kit. She grabbed some bandages for herself and her teammates before handing the box to Haley.

Kira had only a few visible scrapes, but nothing that needed immediate medical attention. Ethan's suit was peeled down to his waist, working on the small gash on his elbow. Conner put his hand up to reject the bandages Kira was passing around, he never seemed to like to clean his wounds around his teammates. As leader he liked to give the illusion of invincibility, even if it wasn't true.

Rolling her eyes at Connor, who was disgustingly munching on the apple, Kira threw her attention to the White Ranger.

She stopped at his side and his eyes lifted slowly to greet her.

"Hey," He said meekly.

"You're bleeding," Kira told him and he returned a look of surprise.

"I am?"

"Yeah, your forehead," she nodded as he moved his ungloved hand to feel the wound he didn't even know he had. He hissed at the sudden mix of the gash and salt from his hand.

Kira shook her head and smiled lightly. Using some saline wipes, she worked her way to cleaning around the injury.

"Did you guys see how pissed the public was?" Ethan turned from side to side, looking at his teammates who all seemed to have been saddened by the publics reaction. "They didn't need the mayor to rile up the angry mob, they did it themselves."

"Damn, we get blamed for everything—everything!" Trent repeated for emphasis. "We didn't even do that to Devin!"

Tommy had remained relatively quiet through their small chatter. He knew it hurt them that they were seen as the enemy, but there wasn't much he could do. It was all out of his control. Although he had very good experiences with being a ranger back in the day, there was a time when he was immensely feared. Even when he switched to the good side, the green ranger wasn't immediately praised for his good deeds. It took some time for the public to realize he wasn't the 'evil one' anymore, but he did get there, and he had faith the Rangers would too. Maybe Kimberly's article was the key to all of this.

"I know guys, but he's an innocent. He shouldn't have even been put in the position in the first place. Same goes with Kim. I don't know what she was doing there, but she felt she needed to help," Conner told them.

"She wasn't wrong," Kira said calmly. "We were losing!"

"Did anyone else seem to notice that Zeltrax seemed to know something about Kimberly?" Ethan paused, he wasn't sure if he should say what he was thinking next, but it was something that needed to heard, "He usually doesn't threaten. He just kills and moves on. I was expecting the worst."

Tommy's stomach turned at that fact. Ethan was right. Zeltrax wasn't one to play games.

Sure it was nice to once again fight side by side with Kim, but having her unmorphed and powerless out in the battlefield was the equivalent of his heart running around out of his chest.

 _God, and she was almost taken._

Tommy couldn't forget that image of Kimberly being slowly dragged to the invisiportal by Elsa. He felt like such an idiot just standing by and doing nothing. He'd never felt so defeated. What if she had been taken? He knew he'd never forgive himself if anything happened to her.

He was supposed to be the best ranger, wasn't he? Why else would he be put in change of the red ranger mission if he wasn't? Knowing that, he felt even worse. He definitely didn't feel like the best ranger right now.

Kira continued as gently as she could to clean up Trent without injuring him further. "Yeah, he did seem to know that we at least knew of her."

"He definitely seemed to be taunting you, Dr. O. Do you think he knew you guys... You know, hung out today?" Conner asked. He leaned back in his chair, aiming the core of his apple into the small trash bin by Tommy's feet across the room.

He flung the eaten fruit swiftly and watched it fly across the room, completely missing the basket. Hey, he was a soccer player, not basketball star.

Tommy smiled at the red ranger, using that moment to distract himself from the throbbing wound that Haley was working to clean. "I don't know. I don't see how he could."

Trent gulped. He knew. The white ranger had spent some time in the lab back at Mesogog's fortress. He never really spoke of his time there, and the Rangers never really asked. It was a dark time he didn't like to bring up. It wasn't until recently that he truly felt accepted by the Rangers, and he didn't want a simple mention of a viewing screen to derail all the progress he'd made. Conner was a tough one to crack, and although they joked from time to time, he knew that the red ranger would be the first one to turn on him.

"I mean, what he said was kind of strange. He didn't want to kill her, he said he was going to take her back to Mesogog. What could he possibly want with her?" Ethan scratched his head.

"I can think of a thing or two," Conner muttered under his breath, but the little comment didn't go unheard by the yellow ranger. She threw her nearly empty bottle to Conner, hitting him square in the ribs. She'd had enough of his little comments, and since Kim wasn't there to defend herself, she figured she was the one to do it.

The Red Ranger winced sharply, his eyes narrowed when they met Kira.

"Oh, did that hurt," she asked innocently. "Good."

"We'll have to look more into it." Haley didn't really know much about Kimberly aside from what Tommy had briefly mentioned to her. He never really seemed to like talking about her, but hopefully now that things were looking up, that would change. She had a preconceived notion about the poor girl, and now she felt immense guilt about it. It wasn't right to judge her before knowing her, but being Tommy's best friend, she really didn't have another choice.

She just hoped that the years had given them both the experience to handle a relationship of this magnitude, and that things would be different between them this time... If there was a this time.

Giving his bandage one final look over, Haley said, "All right, I think you're good, but you're probably going to need to change it in a few hours."

Tommy sighed, but nodded his appreciation.

"You're good too," Kira said to the white ranger. She placed a light hand to his shoulder and covered it with his. He patted it gently, signaling a polite thank you.

Now that the gash on his forehead wasn't throbbing anymore, Trent was able to think more clearly. He learned one thing major thing through his stint as the white ranger and that was that secrets get you no where. He had to keep his identity from Conner, Ethan, and Kira, nearly costing him their friendship.

Sure the circumstances were slightly different, but hiding the ranger secret from Kimberly was probably not the best. He couldn't think of the perfect candidate to tell their secret to than a former ranger. "Dr. O, I know you wanted to keep Kimberly safe by not telling her, but I think it's doing the opposite. Don't you think she'd be less involved if you just, I don't know, told her the truth?"

"The truth? You guys would be okay with that," Tommy eyed them curiously as he jumped off the gurney. "I mean, it's not just my secret to tell. We all have to agree."

"Well, we want her safe and if that means telling her then I'm in," Kira smiled.

"I don't think she realizes that Mesogog, Zeltrax, and Elsa are a lot to handle," Conner sighed. "I mean, we heard some of your high school stories, and a blue furry monkey with clay putties that act nearly comical sound far less dangerous than what we deal with now."

Ethan nodded at all of his teammates previous statements. They were all correct. "I agree, Dr. O, It's fine with me if you tell her."

Tommy was honestly surprised by The team. I guess seeing Kimberly actually in danger had everyone shaken.

Haley had stayed quiet throughout the little conversation the Rangers were having, but Tommy was genuinely curious to know what his best friend thought. As an honorary member of the team, Tommy still wanted to be sure that _everyone_ was on board.

"Haley?" Tommy spoke softly and her eyes lifted to meet his.

Haley had remained with her arms crossed, leaning lightly on the gurney in the room.

"Hey, I'm not the one with a secret identity," she shrugged, "but yeah, you should tell her."

"So it's agreed?" The Rangers weren't even able to finish agreeing when a loud buzz shot from Tommy's pocket, vibrating up his body.

Tommy grunted as he strained to pull out the small phone from the tight spandex. Quickly his eyes darted to the lit screen and his forehead furrowed at the name that popped up.

Putting his finger up to his lip to quiet the Rangers, Tommy answered the call, "Kim?"

"Speak of the devil," Conner whispered, receiving a smirk and nod from Ethan.

Under normal circumstances the Rangers would have snickered like school children and taunted their mentor for the late night call, but when they noted the somber expression on his face, they knew it wasn't time for games.

"Woah, Kim, slow down," Tommy said abruptly. "Just— just go to the lobby and wait for me. I'll be right there."

Tommy didn't let another second go by before he jumped into the showers off the side of the lab, a genius addition from Haley. He shivered under the waterfall of the shower, not even allowing for the water heater to work its way through the plumbing.

"Dr. O?" Trent called out from his chair.

Not even two minutes had gone by and Tommy appeared partially dressed and working on putting on his jacket. He ushered to Kira for the keys to his spare vehicle sitting on Haley's desk. He caught them easily from Kira's quick throw.

"Dr. O?" It was Conners turn to speak up. The teens shared lost looks, their mentors actions confusing them.

"Dr—"

"—Kim's hotel room was just broken into. I have to go get her."

The black rangers mind was on autopilot, only focusing on the woman he had just had an entire evening with. He made his way up the stairs leading up to the secret passage, leaving behind a stunned Haley and four teens.

"Tommy!"

He turned at the sound of his name and nearly missed the throw from Haley. He appraised the murky green liquid swirling in a plastic bottle.

"My special Elixir," Haley called out. "You'll be sober before you get to the truck."

Tommy sighed in relief, "You're brilliant."

He didn't even wait for a response before running through his house and out the front door. His black F-150 truck sat beautifully in his driveway. The engine roared when the key made contact with the ignition, the tires screeched on the pavement as he peeled out the driveway. His mind went black beside the desperate need to be by Kimberly's side. He just hoped she was okay.

* * *

 **Author note:** Hey there! It's been a hot minute, hasn't it? I apologize for the delay, but it's up now! I honestly had a blast writing these two scenes. It was cool to write about villains _actually_ getting injured since we don't usually see that often... You know, I don't even remember it ever happening on the show. Also the Rangers! They always seemed to leave battles without any injuries or bruises. Not in my world! Anyway, let me know what you guys thought of this in a review or a PM! I originally planned to have a double update for you guys, but I didn't reach the deadline I set up for myself. BUT I'm _almost_ finished and l should be uploading the new chapter in a few days. If you absolutely can't wait, let me know with your review or PM if you would like me to send you a sneak peek! See you soon!


	10. Chapter 10

The longest day of Kimberly's life didn't start out bad. From pampering herself all morning to look her best for her dinner with Tommy, to ruining her dress during the battle with Elsa and Zeltrax, she thought her night couldn't get any worse. After having to take poor Devin to the hospital for the wounds he received during his heroic move, Kimberly agreed to his request to not leave a very distraught Cassidy alone until her parents came to pick her up. After all, she felt partially responsible for what happened to him. So when the opportunity finally arose for her to go back to her hotel room and get some much needed sleep, she was shocked to find out it had been ransacked.

If Kimberly didn't know any better, she would have sworn up and down that a cyclone magically formed in her small hotel room. How else could she explain the unnatural state her room was left in? No _human_ would have been able to tear it apart that much, the wood had been unrecognizable in some areas. The beige carpet was painted black from scorch marks and there was an unforgettable lingering smell of ash. Fortunately, Kimberly wasn't completely oblivious to how wicked some beings could be and she was fairly certain she knew who had been in her room. Why else would the only thing missing be the drafts from her pending article? Her heart had shattered at the state her room had been left in. It was an overwhelming feeling knowing that someone had gone through your personal belongings, she'd never felt so sick. The hotel had assured her that they would provide her a new bedroom, but she couldn't think about staying at the same hotel for the night.

No, there was only one thing she could think of that would settle her nerves.

Typically when a man gets invited into a woman's hotel room, he doesn't run away after five minutes of being inside. If he does, that usually ends the night. The woman doesn't see the fleeing man again, especially again that same night, but Kimberly wasn't a normal woman, and the guy wasn't a normal man. So after Tommy Oliver left her with little to no explanation, and the craziness that ensued afterwards, you would think he would be the last person she would want to see. Wrong. Even through all the years and the heartache that she caused the both of them, there was no one she could trust more to be there for her when she needed them than Tommy. Even after all this time.

So that brought her to this moment as she sat hypnotized by the fire in Tommy's living room. Her hair was wet and hanging over her left shoulder. The relaxing shower she took moments ago helped easy the tension. She was swimming in his oversized olive green shirt that he let her wear. Her only clean item of clothing was a pair of satin pajama shorts that were hidden under the long length of his T-shirt.

His home was inviting, or as inviting as dinosaur sculptures and wall art could get, but she like it. It screamed Tommy. She couldn't deny the fact that it needed a woman's touch though.

The fire crackled calmly, causing some form of comfort. Tucking her legs under herself, she snuggled closer to the soft blanket Tommy had given her moments earlier. She breathed the fabric in, taking in the familiar fresh scent. It smelled just like he did in high school, no doubt his mother helped him pick that out.

Tommy entered his living room, being cautious to not step so loudly on his hardwood floor. He watched Kimberly tenderly, her eyes fixed to the fire. The heat radiating from his fireplace engulfed the room, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Everything Kimberly needed right now.

He hated that she had been put in this position, and couldn't get over the fact that he was partially to blame. When he arrived at the hotel, Kimberly was visibly shaken. Her nose was tinted pink, her eyes glazed with moisture. He'd never seeing her like that, and he hoped he wouldn't again. There was a pungent odor of dread reeking the halls. Tommy had never been the best at consoling anyone, so when he saw that Kimberly was in desperate need of it, he wasn't sure what was appropriate. Fortunately for him, Kimberly led the way. They sat in the lobby for a few moments as the Reefside Police Department made their final rounds around the hotel and gathered further evidence. Her head rested on Tommy's shoulder while he wrapped a soothing arm around her. He didn't speak, allowing Kimberly those moments to herself to work on settling her racing heart beat. He almost wished he was as intuitive as he had been as his alter ego. The black ranger seemed to know how to take control of a situation while Tommy remained oblivious.

He wasn't sure if he was doing things right, but it seemed to be working. Her stiff posture had relaxed and become fluid. Her features had slowly returned to their normal state, her skin was no longer pasty white. In all honesty, Tommy wasn't sure if it was his presence that had her calming down or the gun equipped policemen and women that were roaming the halls of the Royal Reefside Hotel.

Either way he knew one thing, they weren't going to stay there the whole night. And for that simple fact, Tommy couldn't leave comfortably knowing that she could still be in danger. His place was the best and safest location, even if she didn't know it yet. There was a cloak around his house, shielding it away from anyone or any _thing_ that could try and break into the lab in the basement.

He partially had Ethan and Conners break in to thank for that. Up until then he hadn't realized how easily accessible his address had been.

Tommy cleared his throat softly before entering the room, informing her of his presence.

"Guest room is ready, clothes are in the dryer, and I was able to scavenge this Earl Grey tea from the back of my cabinet. My mom must have left it there," he smirked, extending his arms to hand her the warm tea cup.

She smiled at his hospitality. Tucking a wet strand of hair behind her ear, she accepted the contents.

"Thank you, Tommy... for everything."

He nodded, burying his hands in his pocket. The corner of his lips turned down when he caught her downcast eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

She took a sip of the warm herbal liquid, allowing it to trickle down her throat soothingly. Tommy swallowed hard when he caught her tongue glide across her bottom lip, catching any stray droplets. Placing the cup down on the coffee table, she moved the blanket beside her and cleared a warm space for Tommy to sit to her right.

She remained silent for a moment as he took his spot on the couch with her. Shifting to face him, she propped her elbow on the back of the couch and rested her head on the back of her hand.

"I'm shaken, honestly. I feel so violated."

"After everything you told me, I'm not surprised. It sounds like you've had quite the night."

She shook her head and smiled at how ludicrous it all was. "Tell me about it."

"Any clue as to who went through your room?"

Silence settled between them, and she could feel his eyes pinned to her as she took another sip of her tea. The heat from his gaze had her subconsciously shifting in her seat as she fought to understand why it was making her so nervous. "The police said they're going to gather evidence, but it didn't take me more than two seconds to realize who had been in there."

Her long lashes batted closed momentarily, the memory of Elsa and Zeltrax replaying behind her eyelids. If she tried hard enough, she could almost visualize them running their dirty hands over her room, destroying everything in their path as they laugh maniacally.

Noting her somber demeanor, Tommy reached over to take her hand in his, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. There was an instant spark felt on his end that ignited something within him.

Gently, he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she smiled halfheartedly, "but I learned long ago that keeping things inside does no good."

He nodded before sighing calmly.

"Who's after you, Kim?"

Maybe it wasn't the best decision to try and pry information out of Kimberly when he knew exactly what had happened to her moments ago. He also had a very good idea who exactly she was referring to, but the _why_ was still hanging over his head. Nevertheless, she had a wild night. Right now was not the time to reveal all he did know to her or the spandex covered reason as to why he knew.

 _Tomorrow_.

She turned her attention back to the fire, her hand slipping away from his as she did so.

Instantly, he longed for her touch again.

Her lip was gently tucked between her teeth. "Someone that doesn't want me digging around for information anymore."

As far as he knew she was working on an article _for_ the Rangers to help them. The Rangers weren't digging around her room for information, so why would Elsa and Zeltrax? Unless she didn't tell him _everything_ she was working on earlier today.

"What'd you find out?"

She stirred in her seat. Was this really the smartest thing to do? To get him involved too?

Tommy noticed Kimberly battling herself inside. She was hiding something.

"What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth several times, but just couldn't find the right words. "I just... I don't want you to get involved in case someone is after me."

She worried for his safety. That was pretty kind of her. Tommy playfully shoved Kimberly with his shoulder. "Are you being overly protective, Ms. Hart?"

"Learned from the best, Dr. Oliver," she said lightly, receiving a smile in return.

"Come on, tell me what's going on."

"This is to not leave this house."

"We'll keep the ranger business between rangers."

"Former rangers," she countered and he gulped at the slip up.

"Right."

She sighed in defeat, her eyes shut tightly when she spoke. "Well, I think the Power Rangers are being set up."

"Set up?" He shook his head to make sure he heard her right. "Why do you think that?"

"Well, I went to go see the mayor on Friday, but he wasn't there. Then I saw Anton Mercer come out and he was acting strange. Really strange, like, talking to himself. I followed him and I saw him go into this weird portal looking thing. I didn't know what it was, but then I saw Elsa and Zeltrax go into one today... It was the same one."

 _Now that's a red flag_.

"They're working together, I know it."

That made no sense. Anton Mercer was a good man. He'd worked so hard to better the planet. Why would he try and do the opposite?

"I just— I've know him for years. He's weird at times, but he's not evil."

"I know what I saw, Tommy."

Who was he to challenge Kimberly's own two eyes? If she said she saw him then he had no choice but to believe her. This was definitely something he had to speak to Trent about. Maybe he knew something and he hasn't been sharing. Anton had been acting stranger than usual lately.

"I've been trying to get a meeting with the mayor since before I left Miami, but he's been unreachable. I'm hoping I can get one by the end of this week. He's the only thing holding me back right now."

"Kim, promise me you won't go to that meeting alone," he said seriously.

Same old Tommy Oliver.

"My, my, look who's being over protective now."

"Alright, so sue me," he rolled his eyes cutely. "I still care about you, Kim. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I can take care of myself. You should have seen me earlier today kicking ass right next to the black ranger," she snickered, a light shade of pink flushing her face from her earlier memory.

That little nod didn't go unnoticed by Tommy for one minute. He dipped his head as he searched her gaze.

"Oh my God, you just blushed!"

"What? No I didn't!" She whipped her head to face him sharply.

"Yes, you did!"

"Shut up, Tommy," she shook her head and then playfully swatted his arm. "You're just jealous that for the first time, I'm not falling for you."

His brow raised knowingly. "Is that so? Kimberly Hart, falling for the black ranger. I'll be sure to tell Zack," he taunted.

Her face dropped that second. She didn't realize that just the simple mention of her old friend could create such sadness.

The black Rangers smile faded, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she waved her hand dismissively, "I'm just... I miss him.. All of them, really."

"They miss you, too, you know."

She smiled but it never quite reached her eyes. "Yeah... It's just been so long."

"They're only a phone call away," he said simply.

"That phone may as well weigh a ton because it's so hard to pick up," she sighed. "I shut them out of my life a long time ago."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"It's a long messy story." Kimberly fiddled with her fingers in her lap, her head dropping.

"Hey," he tipped her chin up lightly, "I'm all ears."

She turned again, her chin slipping gently from his fingers. Her bottom lip was sucked inside her mouth. Where to even begin?

"Tommy, what happened in Muranthias freaked me the fuck out. And I mean _petrified_ me."

She refused to look at him, knowing that if she did, there would be nothing by guilt on his face.

She would be right.

"Kim—"

"I couldn't look at you guys without remembering how I was lowered into that pit," she continued softly.

That mental image was one that he couldn't get out of his head even now. He didn't get the chance to speak to Kimberly after the tournament. She had mysteriously vanished by the time that he had left the ring, and throughout her week long stay she had been unreachable. Katherine had stepped up when he confided in her how guilty he felt about what happened to Jason and Kimberly. She coached him through it, but it was the first time in his ranger career where he thought he had failed.

"I-I'm so sorry, Kim. I wish I would have gotten to you."

"It wasn't your fault, you were outnumbered," she told him and that didn't do much to ease his guilt.

"Divatox was insane, but you saved us either way."

There was a pause and Tommy held his breath anxiously awaiting what she would say next.

"What we nearly did to you guys. The anger I felt when I saw you and Katherine," she shook her head, the chilling memory flooding back to her. "I zeroed in on her with no regards to her safety. I wanted her on the floor, begging me for mercy... i-it was overwhelming. Not having control over your emotions— your body. I don't know how far I would have gone if you hadn't stopped me."

"I hope you know that Katherine never blamed you for what you did," he told her and she returned a half smile.

The next couple of words were ones that she hadn't spoken out loud herself before.

"And then there was Trini," she paused and Tommy grew even more curious than he had been before.

"She was the only one I stayed in constant contact with. I talked to Jason, Billy, and Zack occasionally, but the bond I had with her was stronger. We were more than best friends, we were sisters," Kimberly smiled weakly. "She was visiting me in Florida when we both got the call from Wes."

Tommy's forehead furrowed, "The time force ranger?"

Kimberly nodded.

"He wanted us to help him battle Ransik, basically his Lord Zedd. Trini was such an adventurous little thing that she agreed to it right on the spot. I mean, you remember how fearless she was. She could never turn anyone down when they needed help," Kimberly smiled fondly before she turned serious. "I, on the other hand, wasn't so willing to go back to that world. After Muranthias, I wanted no part of the ranger life. I remember her trying her best to convince me to go, that we were two peas in a pod and that she couldn't do it without me. Through everything I still said no and that haunts everyday." Kimberly could feel the lump in her throat building, her eyes slowly swelling with tears.

"She went without me and..." She couldn't get the words to leave her mouth. She knew what happened, but saying what Ransik actually did to her sister made her physically ill.

"Kim," Tommy spoke softly. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her strength to continue.

"I keep thinking that if I would have been there then I could have done something, helped her— or I don't know," Kimberly sniffled through every couple of words. This was the first time she's ever opened up about this. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think that it should have been me instead of her because she was the best, and she was perfect, and amazing, and she didn't deserve to go," her head turned sharply to hide the tears that were spilling freely from his view.

His stomach churned at the thought of losing Kimberly and how deeply Trini's death impacted her. He was heartbroken to learn the real reason for Trini's passing, he doubted anyone else knew. Not even Jason.

"I had no idea that happened. I... Well, we were told that there was a car accident—"

"They couldn't exactly tell her parents she was brutally murdered while stuck in a time loop, could they?" She shook her head in fury, "The intergalactic council agreed to cover it up. I know the truth because I confronted Wes and he confessed everything to me."

If there was one thing she hated the most it would be that Trini's death was swept under the rug and hidden. She gave her life for the world and she was repaid with no honor. Forgotten. Just the thought of that had Kimberly's blood boiling again. What's the use of having such a large platform if she can't even expose the intergalactic council for what they did to her sister? She should have been awarded the highest of honors, but instead they retracted and erased any of the valiant things she did to protect the time continuum.

It was important to keep the news from the world, but to hide it from the Rangers, even if they were retired, was ridiculous. It served no purpose. They deserved to know what happened to their former teammate. If anyone, Jason should have at least been told. They... They had been working on building something together— a life. A life that was ripped from her.

"Kim, I know this feels like it's resting heavily on your shoulders, but it's not your fault."

He didn't know how else to make that clearer, but it was something she had to believe. It was an accident and there was nothing that she could have done.

"Tommy—"

"No, listen to me. A few years ago, I was working at this dig site with a colleague named Smitty. It was a huge honor to get the opportunity to go to this site and it was a bigger honor having it led by Anton Mercer."

"As in—"

"As in the weirdo," he chuckled and then turned serious returning to his story. "Anyway, I was scheduled to work in the lab every Friday, but when I woke up that morning I knew something special was going to happen down at the dig site. I convinced Smitty to take my place at the lab and I took his place at the dig. I didn't realize that I signed his death certificate that moment. There was an accident that day back at the lab and the whole island just blew up. I tried finding Smitty, but I couldn't. I was barely able to get out of that island alive. Few survived. I actually thought Anton Mercer went down with the island as well until just recently. I blamed myself a lot for what happened to Smitty. It's honestly something I struggle with to this day, but I know deep down that it's not my fault. You need to realize that too."

They had more in common than she thought. Just sharing their news with each other taught her how long ten years really was. It was practically a whole lifetime. Just the thought of Tommy being put in a life threatening situation had her stomach in knots. She would have been devastated if anything happened to him, even when all this occurred years ago. Sure they weren't speaking back then, but it didn't mean she still didn't care for him and his safety.

"It's hard."

"I know," he nodded, "but you will get through this."

Her breathing was the only thing heard in the room as a silence grew between them. She was still battling herself deep within and that wasn't something that would get resolved overnight no matter how badly she wanted it to.

Breaking the silence, she spoke softly, "Do you think it's our destiny to get wrapped up in the ranger business?"

"What do you mean?"

He wasn't following.

"I just can't seem to get away from this life. It finds me no matter where I hide. I just feel like I'm destined to live this life over and over again."

"You don't want anything to do with Rangers," he asked warily

"I don't know," she shrugged. "There was a part of me that loved it and then feared it and now I'm both. I feel like I've been so lucky these last few years that I still have my life. I'm excited that I'm finding the thrill of it again, but it's drowned out by the possibility that if I continue being a part of this, I won't be so lucky anymore."

Now that changed everything. Jason was right, she didn't want anything to do with the ranger world. If he confessed everything right now, would she reject him? This ranger business was a huge part of his life, he couldn't hide it from her— he wouldn't. It's what ruined his chances with Heather in the first place, and although he didn't particularly care about that relationship, it was a glimpse of how things would end with the other person left in the dark. He wouldn't take that chance with Kimberly no matter what. She had to know, but maybe right this moment wasn't the time.

"I'm sorry for pushing them away— for pushing _you_ away, but in doing so I was able to live a life of normalcy. I don't know how you do it, Tommy," she sighed lightly, gazing into the fire. "I guess being a boring science teacher lets you live a quiet life, huh?"

He wished.

"Hey, my life hasn't always been quiet. Did I tell you about the time we had a red ranger mission on the moon?"

Kimberly turned her head in surprise. She shifted herself closer to him. Okay, this she had to hear.

* * *

Blinking awake, Tommy was surrounded by a shield of warmth that appeared all too foreign yet familiar. It took him mere seconds to realize he and Kimberly had indeed fallen asleep on the couch and that their legs were now a tangled mess of limbs. Her soft breathing tickled his ear while her full lips hovered over the sensitive pulse on his neck. How they got in this position, he didn't know. Where in the night did they go from laughing about their younger years to holding her so... Intimately? Their conversation had taken a lighter turn after everything came out into the open regarding Trini and Smitty. After the night they both had, it was refreshing. There was not so subtle flirting and some lingering touches, but nothing that moved them further than they had been all night. Not until this moment that is.

His arms instinctively pulled her tighter to his beating chest, never once hesitating. Kimberly's touch was something he hadn't felt in years and up until this moment, he wasn't sure he remembered what it felt like. But soon enough every memory came flooding back in and he was instantly reverted back to when he knew every crevice of her being.

He couldn't will himself to stop from re exploring what he once knew so well. With Kimberly tucked safely to his chest, he moved his right hand to her arm and slowly guided it down the curve of her waist. It was the only way that his mind allowed this moment to be real. The only way he knew she was safe in the confinements of his arms.

Unbeknownst to Tommy, Kimberly had woken up moments before him and had allowed herself to bask in the protective warmth within his arms. She didn't know why this felt so right or why she was willingly going along with it, but being with Tommy was never something she ever had to give too much thought to. It was something that always came naturally. She inched herself closer, nestling her face deeper into the intoxicating scent of his body wash on his neck.

The 28-year-old was reverted to 18 in Tommy's arms and if it wasn't for the mystery surrounding him, she was sure she wouldn't let him go.

She didn't know how she had allowed the years go by without ever once reaching out to him. Her fears had gotten the best of her and she allowed them to rule her world. Pushing the people she once loved and cared for to the farthest region of the universe. Her muscles trembled lightly beneath the soft tips of his fingers trailing down her body, gliding like butter. The memory of the last time he ever held her like this crashing back to her in a nostalgic tsunami.

And just like that Christmas morning in 1995, she could smell the freshly baked gingerbread cookies, the fresh pine on the Christmas tree, the charred remains of the fire they fed all night in his uncles cabin. The oak paneled walls ran through the quaint cabin, the antique furniture gave warmth from the cold outside. After being apart for months, they allowed their teenage hormones to run freely and express how deeply they had missed each other. She shivered from the memory of how she nestled between his legs on the amber colored plaid couch as he hovered over her, actively drinking from her lips as they allowed themselves to kiss more passionately than they ever had before.

The fire roared in the fireplace, echoing the one growing between them. His lips drifted to the freckle by her ear, placing tender kisses there before moving to explore her neck, tasting the salt on her neck as he sucked on her pulse. He had found the courage to move his hands down her body as had she, exploring each other for the first time. She clutched his muscles beneath his shirt as his hands trailed up her dress. Her fingertips melted as she touched his chiseled physique as his did when they ran up the underside of her bare thigh. They elicited low shaky moans at their contact, rejoicing at this new found pleasure.

They were on the verge of crossing a major milestone before reality and maturity hit them like a bucket of cold water. She recalled the blush and subtle laugh between the two of them before they halted and moved back to what they knew so well instead. They weren't ready at the time, but she wished they had been. Even now she wished she would have foregone maturity and allowed their night to cumulate into one of infinite passion.

Nevertheless, what did happen was something she would never complain about as the taste of his lips on hers from their all night make out session was one she still couldn't forget even ten years later. Still, knowing now that in a few months time she would have coldly broken his heart, she wished they would have had that one memory to look back on forever.

"How long have you been awake?" Tommy mumbled into her ear. He stole glances around his living room through the flickering light. His arms remained tightly around Kimberly, never once budging.

She gulped. Of course he would catch her being awake.

"Long enough to know that you were getting kind of handsy," she teased as she poked his side, receiving a quiet snicker from him in return.

 _Okay, busted! Think quickly so I don't come out looking like a total creep._

"You were cold," he stuttered, "I was trying to keep you warm."

 _Seems plausible._

He smiled sheepishly. She didn't buy it, but she also didn't care. Somehow being with him, even after all this time felt like she never left. She still fit in his arms like she did years ago, if anything, she fit better. He had grown in all the right places.

"Hey, I'm not complaining," she chuckled. Stirring beside him, she asked groggily, "Mmm, what time is it."

Rubbing his tired eyes, he shook his head. It was still pretty dark outside, and the fire didn't seem to have gone down that much.

"If I had to guess, I'd say three." He turned to face her, locking eyes with her for the first time since being awake, "Sleep okay?"

"Yes," she sat up slowly, stretching her arms over her head. She smiled at him laying beside her until it quickly turned into a frown seeing a discoloration on his gray T-shirt.

"Tommy, you're bleeding."

He followed her eyes to his chest and noted the red stain oozing from underneath his shirt.

 _Shit_.

He lifted the slightly damp spot on his shirt, pealing it from his skin.

"Oh, it's nothing."

Kimberly shook her head adamantly, "It doesn't look like nothing. Let me see."

He threw her a uncertain glare, but Kimberly paid no attention to it.

"Come on, take off your shirt," she said innocently.

As the last word fled her lip, she could feel moisture building up in her palms.

 _Great, at first it seemed like I was trying to get him drunk, and now it seems like I want to get him undressed._

He gulped at her request, locking eyes with the brunette woman that was slowly settling into his heart once again. Releasing a shaky breath, he tugged at the back of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head.

Why the hell was he so nervous? It's not like he hasn't been shirtless in front of her before.

He fought himself internally. There was no reason why she would still have this effect on him. He thought that what they had had been gone for years, but truthfully he knew it had only been simmering below the surface, waiting for a fire to bring it up to boiling.

Fire creating the perfect ambiance, check; Alcohol, check; A shirtless Tommy, check, check; Self-control, quickly waning! That seems like the perfect recipe for a disaster.

Her mouth went dry at the sight of his defined body once again. And she thought he was ripped before... The years definitely _had_ been good to him.

Clearing her throat to regain her sanity, she proceeded to lightly touch the hard bruised muscle below the bandage on his left pectoral.

"Anything else hurt," she asked through a shaky breath. Her fingers continued to ghost over his chest, the tips of her fingers faintly making contact with his soft skin.

Her pulse raced, the rhythmic drumming of her heart pounding away in her ear.

He gulped, her touch was like fire, spreading though him uncontrollably.

"No," his voice nearly cracked.

She moved from him, needing to create distance before she did something she wasn't so sure would be a great idea. "Do you have a first aid kit?"

"Yeah," he nodded as he watched her get up. He pointed down the hall, "Um, cabinet under the sink in the bathroom."

She was thankful for the space, her knees quaked lightly like she knew they would. He'd always had this affect on her, but she never understood why. Or why it was _still_ happening.

She reached the bathroom and splashed water on her face, cleansing her mind.

 _This is crazy, it's Tommy! Think clearly, Hart._

She moved her hands up and down her arms, recalling what it felt like to be tucked into his chest. The safety he provided, the warmth he emitted. She loved that. The last time she felt that was... Well, earlier today with the black ranger.

 _The black ranger._

She shook her head roughly.

 _Okay, now that's crazy! I don't even know who he is._

Taking in her reflection in the mirror, she chuckled quietly. There was no way that she could be torn between Tommy and the black ranger. It was crazy... Stupid!

The black ranger was a thrill, nothing more. Sure he had her heart skipping, but that was insane. He wasn't really real. She was drawn to the mystery or so she was telling herself.

Tommy... He was real, but the thought of being tangled in that web was frightening. But what was even more frightening was the possibility that he never really got over what she did to him all those years ago. She didn't believe in giving lying cheaters second chances, so why should he?

On the other hand, he was really something special. And if she wasn't mistaken, he seemed to want things just as much as she did. She groaned quietly in exasperation.

 _Again, ridiculous! I'm blinded by the physical attraction. He's hot, so what? It's not like I haven't been around ridiculously good looking people before._ _There's nothing going on between us two. It's all in my head._

Sighing heavily, she nodded at her reflection and reached for the kit under the sink and the clean bowl that sat beside it. After filling up the bowl with lukewarm water, she carefully walked back to Tommy in the living room.

His right hand was tucked behind his head as he waited for Kimberly to return.

She smirked. "You look comfortable."

He turned sharply, taking her in for a moment after the few minutes since she had been gone. His long shirt draped over her, and her shorts were short enough to give the illusion that she wasn't wearing anything but his shirt. His throat nearly closed at that thought. The fire served as the perfect lightning, she looked beautiful. He didn't realize that seeing her wear _his_ color would elicit such a strong reaction from him.

"I am," he nodded as he fixed himself on the love seat.

She set the kit and the warm bowl on the coffee table before she sat back on the couch. They sat face to face, his left leg tucked beneath him and the other dangling off the couch while she sat on her feet.

Carefully, she worked to peel the soaked bandage off Tommy's chest.

Her eyes widened at the large gash.

 _How the hell did he get that?_

Placing the old bandage on the coffee table, she grabbed the bowl and a clean sponge from the kit.

She dipped the clean sponge into the warm water, expressing the excess liquid until it was just damp enough. Being careful to be as gentle as possible, she trailed the sponge lightly to remove the blood residue on Tommy's chest. Her finger tips danced on his skin accidentally, sending goosebumps up and down his arms.

He remained mesmerized by her, his eyes trained to the beauty she radiated. Kimberly's head was dipped as she worked to clean him up as best as she could, her hair falling to her face by gravity.

She blew her fringe away from her face, but she failed in doing so. She ignored the inconvenience, not wanting to dirty her clean hands.

Swallowing hard, Tommy moved his free hand over to Kimberly, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear like he used to do when they were younger.

Her eyes lifted in surprise, catching his in the process. As quickly as they went up, she dropped them back to his chest.

His hands lingered, as he continued to stare at her. She smiled when she felt his smooth fingers run down the side of her cheek and jaw until they fell to his side.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No, Thank _you,"_ he returned _._

If he kissed her, would she let him? Better yet, if he kissed her, would he be able to stop?

Being with Kimberly again felt just so natural to him. He didn't have to be anything but himself. Sure he was withholding one large truth, but it wasn't something he planned on keeping much longer. If he was being honest with himself, he could see himself with her in the future. Sure he'd only spent a few short hours with her, but in those few hours he felt they made up for those ten years apart. What they were sharing now ran deeper than anything they ever shared before, at least emotionally.

This woman that Kimberly grew to be was extraordinary. Their past was left there; she'd grown, matured into this vivacious woman that was slowly reclaiming her place in his heart. The only thing holding him back was the very rational fear of her rejection. And the possibility that her heart wasn't fully with him because the black ranger held the rest. Was he really fighting with himself? That could change with his admission, it _would_ change.

He didn't want to rush into anything with her. He just wanted to live in the now. Begin a friendship with her like he was doing now and if it's in the cards, they'd naturally progress into something more. If not... Well then it wasn't meant to be.

Kimberly fidgeted in her seat, she could feel his eyes still pinned on her. Although it didn't make her uncomfortable, she was wondering why he wouldn't take his eyes off her.

She blushed lightly and she was sure he was seeing it.

"What," she spoke softly, breaking the short silence. She nearly gasped when she looked up and saw the sweetest smile she had ever seen. There was so much behind it.

He shook his head. Turning serious, he replied honestly, "I've missed you."

Dropping her hand, she paused. That's exactly what he had said their last Christmas together that led them to their all night make out session, and suddenly she had all those old feeling stirring up again. Only this time she knew that she would not stop there.

Those three simple words filled her with such warmth. She never knew they could mean so much to her. She stayed quiet for a moment as she tried to come up with something that was equally as meaningful.

Finally, she settled for the truth.

"I've missed you, too," she answered sincerely, causing his heart to leap, "but hey now that we found each other, we're not going to go another ten years without talking, right?"

"Of course," he nodded.

"Good. So, are you gonna tell me how you got this," she smirked.

 _Uh-oh! Think, Oliver, think!_

"Umm, glass fell on me while I was cleaning the attic last week."

 _What? Sure, like she's going to believe that._

"Really? It looks like a pretty clean cut. Fresh, too." She eyed him skeptically.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me the truth. Just know that I am an investigative journalist. Once I get this ranger article written I may come over here for my next mystery," she winked. "So, how are your parents?"

"Good," he nodded. "They just retired so they're traveling all over the place right now."

"That's nice," she smiled genuinely.

"Yeah."

"Are they still just as zany as ever?"

"Yeah, my dad keeps hounding me for grandkids." Tommy shook his head at his fathers ideas. He always came up with something ridiculous. "He's taking bets to see if they'll come out looking like him. He says the Oliver gene is strong. I keep having to remind him that I'm adopted."

Kimberly burst into a fit of laughter with Tommy joining from how contagious it was. Simple. Being with Kimberly was simple.

Once the laughter had subsided, Kimberly continued, "Your mom hounding you for grandkids too?"

 _Not nearly as much._

"Nah, she wants to see me settle down first. My dad apparently doesn't care or understand order. Can't exactly have kids if I haven't met anyone."

 _Maybe that'll change._

He chuckled lightly before the pain from his wound shot through him like a bullet. His hand moved out on its own, squeezing Kimberly's bare thigh for support from the pain.

His teeth gritted together as he winced from the injury throbbing in his chest.

Kimberly grimaced apologetically, feeling horrible for causing him more pain. There wasn't much she could do though, she needed to get his wound clean. She continued working on his laceration, gently moving the wet sponge.

His eyes were shut as he worked to rid himself of the pain, his hand moved gradually back and forth on Kimberly's soft skin. He hadn't even realized what he had been doing and Kimberly was too focused on her task that she hadn't even noticed.

'Mmm,' he hummed internally. His hands were swimming in a blanket of softness. Kimberly's skin was like warm silk, the feel of her burning his senses. Why did this feel so good? Why did _she_ feel so good?

Reality hit Tommy like a ton of bricks. His eyes shot open, lips parted soon after.

What the hell was he doing?

His gaze fell to his hands that were still mindlessly rubbing her down.

"I'm sorry." He retracted his hands immediately, pulling them away from her as if her very skin was a burner that had been left on.

"It's okay," she giggled as his face flushed in embarrassment. She nudged him with her elbow playfully, "It's nothing you haven't touched before."

Okay, if he wasn't sweating before, he was now.

She snickered at his response, she always knew just what to say to get to him. Grabbing some new gauze from the Med Kit, she began unwrapping it from its package.

Her eyes narrowed, as she began began covering his clean wound.

"Well," her nose wrinkled while she finished applying the fresh gauze, "I think that will do for the night, but I'm going to say you're going to need to get that checked out."

Tommy appraised his new bandage, giving her an appreciative smile as compensation, "Hey, you could be a doctor."

"Psh, yeah right," she snickered, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Maybe you're right," his nose wrinkled, getting a gentle swat in the arm in return.

He reached over to her hand, placing a gentle kiss to the top of it. "Thank you."

Suddenly, for the real first time that night, Kimberly felt _something_. It was certainty... About him. But how? Why now? Just moments before she was sure that there was nothing there besides the obvious physical attraction, but now she knew there was more, and that scared her just as bad as being back in spandex. She could feel her self control losing its battle second by second and if she didn't move fast, she knew she'd jump on him, tearing his new bandage right off.

Retracting her hand back, she told him quickly, "Well, I'm kind of tired. I think I'm gonna head upstairs."

"Yeah, me too. I'm just gonna put out the fire," he muttered awkwardly.

Tommy had never been the best at hiding his emotions, he wore them on his sleeve most days. Sure he tried to give off this macho exterior, but he couldn't hide them from her. Maybe she just knew him too well. When he said or did something, it had meaning behind it. Always.

She stopped in her tracks and spun gracefully to face him. Placing a gentle hand on his arm, she softly said, "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Goodnight, Tommy." She resisted the huge urge to give him a kiss on the cheek, not having enough faith in herself to not act on what her body desperately wanted.

Tomorrow would be another day and sleep would definitely clear her mind, allowing for rational and responsible actions. Truthfully, she didn't know if the wine from earlier was still in her system, and if the slight buzz was altering any type of coherent thinking. She was doubtful, but didn't want anything to happen when she couldn't really trust if she was thinking for herself or not.

As Tommy watched Kimberly ascend the stairs, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. Maybe that small kiss at the end wasn't the best, but it was more innocent than anything else they had done that night, at least he thought so anyway. Stealing a glance at the outline of his trapdoor that led to the lab in his living room, he sighed.

Tomorrow would be a big day for him.

* * *

 **Author note** : Gah, can I just say that I've been waiting for this chapter since chapter 1! This whole story was born with _this_ and the next couple of chapters in mind and I'm so glad I am now able to finally get to writing them. Writing about what had Kimberly so scared was very important for this whole story to work. Trini losing her life during battle had Kimberly afraid to be around the Rangers, and that caused a loss of contact with everyone. I hinted about it throughout the last 9 chapters, but I'm not sure if some of you picked up on it. Now we have confirmation. This also brings us to Tommy and his guilt over what happened to Smitty, and they kind of have this heavy weight on their shoulders that no one else can relate to besides them. And I threw in some hormone infused teenage Tommy and Kim flashback to satisfy those who I _know_ want to see some action between them, lol. Anyway, please let me know what you guys think in the form of a review or PM. It honestly always makes my day, but I'm _especially_ curious about what you guys think of this chapter. I'll see you guys in my next chapter!


	11. Chapter 11

**Sunday, March 28, 2004**

 **1992 Valencia Rd.**

 **Reefside, CA**

 **8:23AM**

 _As he walked groggily into his uncles kitchen, Tommy could have swore he had died and gone to heaven. Wearing baggy flannel pajamas, Kimberly absentmindedly danced to the hits of 1995 as she stirred the breakfast on the stove. Her hair was loosely tied in a messy bun, high up on her head. It bobbed side to side as she used the spatula as her makeshift microphone, rocking out to the latest Alanis Morissette song._

 _He had awoken moments earlier to the most savory scent he had smelled in a while. He loved his mother dearly, but she wasn't the best cook. Their thanksgiving tradition usually consisted of his mother nearly burning down the house as she tried her hand at cooking a turkey, and then ordering out from the only open restaurant. They would say grace around a large serving of Mr. Wongs takeout and then painfully swallow the food. It was horrible, but it was a tradition he looked forward to every year._

 _When he rolled over on the queen sized bed to ask kimberly where that delicious smell was coming from, he was surprised to not find her beside him. It was the first night they ever spent together and waking up alone was not something he thought would happen. Immediately there was a void he hadn't felt since she'd been back from Florida. He stepped out of the only bedroom in the small cabin, passing the lone Christmas tree sitting beside the ash covered fireplace. The floor was scattered with debris from their gift exchanges from the night before, it crunched lightly beneath his feet._

 _As his nose slowly followed the trail from the scent, he saw Kimberly looking effortlessly beautiful. Now knowing that she could cook, he knew that there was no way he could find someone better than her. Not that he wanted to anyway._

 _He slowly came up behind her as she continued her dancing with her back towards him. She squealed in delight when his arms came around her waist from behind while he placed tender kisses to her neck. Leaning back, Kimberly swayed against Tommy's hard chest, embedding this moment into her memory. The heat from his body acted as a blanket, warming her up from the icy cold snow falling down outside._

 _They shared a laugh before Kimberly turned in Tommy's arms and greeted him with a deep good morning kiss. Playfully, she swatted him away so she could return her attention to the stove. She was not about to let anything burn. Being in Florida taught Kimberly more than how to perfectly land a back handspring, it taught her how to make a mean breakfast thanks in large part to her roommate that was studying to become a chef._

 _"Something smells good," Tommy said while stealing a strip of bacon that was draining on a paper towel. His eyes closed as the strip made its way into his mouth, the salty piece deliciously melting on his tongue. "God, this is good."_

 _"Hey!" She gently brushed his hand away when he made a sly attempt at the stack of pancakes._

 _Chuckling, he asked, "What else is there?"_

 _She smiled at her boyfriend tenderly. His plain white tshirt clung perfectly to his body, revealing the outline of his well defined chest. His leftover olive green pants from his green ranger days fit nicely along his long legs. Like Tommy had thought earlier, Kimberly couldn't help but think he looked amazing in the morning. His hair was still straight from the night before, falling softly down his shoulders. It was definitely something she could get used to seeing every morning._

 _She leaned back on the counter, striking a vogue worthy pose. The spatula in her hand waved lightly as she answered, "Eggs."_

 _"Mmm." Again, he hadn't had a decent breakfast that didn't consist of milk and cereal in a while._

 _Giving her a final kiss on her cheek, Tommy reached into one of the cupboards and pulled out a special something he'd been hiding in there. Immediately, he came to her side and surprised her with an unexpected gift. Her right hand flew over her mouth as she stared at the horribly wrapped present, but she loved it. Although the seams were crinkled and the bow was lob sided, she thought it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen because it came from him, his heart._

 _With a soft smile she carefully pealed the red packaging to reveal a black rectangular box. As she flipped the lid open, her eyes lit up as they fell to the lovely necklace._ _Three small round diamonds were bezel-set a few inches apart along a dainty gold chain, catching the sunlight magnificently._

 _It wasn't cheap to say the least. Over the last several months Tommy had been working odd jobs around his neighborhood to be able to afford such an extravagant gift. The ranger business had been taking up a lot of his time, but he wouldn't let it interfere with his end goal of surprising Kimberly. The long hours he put in made it all worth it when he saw her reaction._

 _Carefully taking it out of its packaging, Tommy placed his gift for her around her thin neck, clasping it securely in the back._

 _"Tommy," Kimberly murmured as her fingers trailed to the beautiful necklace adorning her neck._ _"We said we were done with all of our Christmas presents," she turned to face him, the corner of her eyes lightly glistening with moisture._

 _"This isn't for that," he smiled. Taking her small hand in his, he intertwined their fingers. "Our anniversary is coming up in a few months and— well, I know we probably won't see each other with you being in Florida. I just wanted to make sure you got something from me."_

 _Her heart melted at his revelation. Not only was he thinking about their future, he was being actively supportive of her gymnastics career. How did she get so lucky?_

 _She pulled him down to her that instant, capturing his lips as she tried to give him her best thank you._

 _"I love you," he murmured against her lips. His words powerful and filled with so much sincerity._

 _Burying her head into his neck, Kimberly's heart skipped several beats. The way he said it, how sure he was about her was a lot for her teenage self to handle. It wasn't the first time he'd said it to her, but she had still not once returned the verbal sentiment to him. She swallowed hard as her fingers continued to trail the beautiful piece of jewelry around her neck. His arms were wrapped around her small waist, holding her tightly in place as her eyes closed. She felt it, of course she did, but those three little words, although simple to some, were freighting for 18 year old Kimberly._

 _"Forever and ever, right?" She whispered as the fear of reciprocating those three little words began to creep in._

 _He swallowed as he failed to hear her return the words he so deeply felt for her. With a simple kiss to the top of her head, he replied, "Right."_

 _Unfortunately for them, their anniversary would never come as Kim had sent the letter a few weeks shy of the day._

The memory of their first and last Christmas morning together faded as Tommy stumbled into his kitchen while he rubbed his tired eyes. He had to do a double take as he took in the image before him. Wearing his green shirt from the night before, Kimberly was hard at work cooking something up. Instead of the bun she donned ten years ago, her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, swaying back and forth as she danced to the music playing on the radio.

A faint smile crept up his lips as he realized there was a glimpse of the old Kimberly still hidden somewhere in there. It was just a small reminder at how long it had been since he had been able to experience Kimberly in the morning. Was she always like this? Was this her daily routine? Or was it something she only did when they were together? His eyes landed on her bare neck and he wondered if the gift he had given her was tossed aside when she broke up with him. She could do with it what she pleased, but he wondered where his symbol of love to her from him had gone off to. Maybe the old boyfriend thought it was inappropriate for her to keep or maybe it was chucked into a box of forgotten loves, collecting dust over the last ten years. He could come up with theories all day, but now was not the time to think about it.

Almost running on autopilot, Tommy slowly moved up behind her. She turned on her heel, inadvertently bumping into Tommy. She shrieked in fright while his hands reached out to steady her balance.

"Oh, God," Kimberly sighed in relief. "You scared me!"

Understandably, Kimberly had been on her toes the last couple of hours. Although Tommy's house was nothing short of warm and inviting, she didn't get that great of a sleep. Lily was on her, texting her as soon as she went upstairs. Her best friend didn't particularly sympathize with her for the three hour time difference between Florida to California, using that time to keep Kimberly up and have her spill all of the details of her night out. The messages were long and detailed, just like Lily needed. After all, she was also an investigative reporter and would hound Kimberly if she left anything out.

As soon as the former pink ranger informed Lily that she was sleeping in Tommy's guest bedroom, there was no hope that she would be getting any sleep. It was a long night with constant back and forth between Kimberly and her part time self proclaimed therapist, Lily. Although most of what she said went in one ear and out the other, Lily had been right about Kimberly's conflicting feelings. She just had to quit being stubborn and decide what she really wanted.

Tommy chuckled, his hands firmly gripping Kimberly's arms. "I'm sorry. I was distracted by," he motioned past Kimberly over to the stove with his head, "whatever it is you're making. It smells great. What is it?"

She turned her head over her shoulders as she disentangled herself from him. The heat from his bare chest only a few inches from her still had her legs trembling. Grabbing the spatula, she leaned back on the counter, "Eggs."

Tommy had to blink twice. For a brief moment there was a flash of that Christmas morning again and all he saw was 18-year-old plaid clad Kimberly standing before him. With a shake of his head, he asked, "What was that?"

"Eggs," she repeated, and he knew he didn't just imagine what he had heard. "Well, omelettes to be more specific."

"Sounds good." In fear of his voice cracking, he couldn't say anything else and finished with a simple nod.

Kimberly finished putting the last touches on the plates she had just prepared.

She stole a green grape from the small fruit salad. Nudging Tommy, she told him, "Go long."

She didn't have to tell twice. Immediately he backed away as the small circle left her fingers and landed directly in his mouth. They cheered like sports fanatics, even creating faux applauses while Tommy bowed.

Again, things were simple. She brought out the inner child in him when his life had gotten so serious. Facing loss and death on a regular basis took a toll on his body. Her contagious personality was a bright light that illuminated all the darkness he had seen.

With their playful laughter subsiding, he helped Kimberly grab some of the plates that were on the counter and transferred them to the table as she began shutting everything off in his kitchen.

"I could wake up to this everyday," he told her.

"Well don't get used to it," she answered as she poured some orange juice in their glass cups. "This was just a thank you for letting me stay the night. I'll be out of your hair in a few hours."

"You can stay longer, Kim. I'm sure you're still a little shaken. You don't have to go back to that hotel."

"Thank you, but I really wouldn't want to impose. Besides its not like I can take you back to Miami with me anyway. I have to face my fears."

All of that was more than true. Although Kimberly couldn't think of anything sweeter than waking up in Tommy's house for another morning, she really wanted to give him his privacy.

Reaching across the table, Tommy lightly touched her hand. "Just think about it."

On the other hand, he was insisting.

"Okay, how about I stay the night at the hotel just for today and if I don't like it, I'll come back here. Does that sounds like a plan?"

That seemed to satisfy him.

Breakfast was mostly uneventful. It consisted of Kimberly batting fluttery lashes behind her cup every time she took of sip of her juice. Her gaze would drift off to Tommy's side or over his head in order to avoid having her eyes linger too long on his bulging muscle peeking behind his large bandage. Last night had her possibly more shaken that what had happened at her hotel. There was a darkness in both of their gazes, a deep need for one another that was getting harder to fight. But why should she? She was a responsible adult fully capable of being in a relationship if she wished. And there was no denying he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him.

Tommy was a God given gift to her. He'd always put her needs and wants before his own, and maybe having that again scared her. It's been so long since she'd found someone quite as special. She hadn't been particularly lonely the last ten years, but it lacked a certain depth. The thought of high school love being more than real was nearly comical to her. They usually didn't last and she was living proof of that. It's not to say that they don't happen, but she hadn't seen one be successful yet. Maybe things were different now. All the years from then till now would classify them as such. Two grown people that had lived another life in those ten years coming together by fate.

Still, there was a nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her that there was something _off_ about him. There was a mystery there and if it wasn't for the gloomy cloud that was Elsa and Zeltrax, she was sure she would be able to bring it out to the light. She had no right to ask him what it was he wasn't telling her, and bombarding him with questions wasn't the way to go about it. He owed her nothing. Just now she couldn't really focus on that. Whatever Tommy was hiding had to take a backseat to what she really came to Reefside for.

Since Kimberly had been kind enough to make breakfast for the both of them, Tommy thought the gentlemanly thing to do would be to clean up.

After a lot of tossing and turning the night before, he finally came to the conclusion that today was the day he would tell Kimberly everything, and face all the consequences. No matter what.

"I want to talk to you." He turned to her beside him as he continued to spray his dishes with the hose from his sink.

"Good or bad?" She would place the clean dishes he would hand her over to the drying rack. It was a simple task that would keep her mind busy.

"Um, I'd kind of like you to decide that for yourself." He smiled to hide his approaching nerves.

"Okay, but— damn," she sighed when she stole a glance at the clock on his stove. "My cabs on its way. I really have to go pack."

"You're leaving already?" He didn't even try to hide his disappointment. "Where to?"

"First the hotel to drop off my things and then The Cyberspace. Why don't you meet me there so we can talk?"

That sounded doable. It was a safe location and the other Rangers would most likely be there. "What's at the cyberspace?"

"Believe it or not, I actually have to turn something in at work and since all my work was taken, I'm gonna have to hope for a miracle," she sighed, continuing to move the clean plates Tommy kept handing her. "Anyway, Your internet seriously sucks, so I'm gonna go ahead and use theirs. You need to work on upgrading to the new millennium."

His lips parted, hand over his heart as he made his best attempt at looking offended. As Tommy continued to spray his dishes with the faucet nozzle, he brought the small hose up and lightly coated Kimberly with water.

Instantly, she shrieked while Tommy laughed uncontrollably at her reaction. Using this moment to her advantage, Kimberly sought revenge and ripped the hose right from his hands. Showing no mercy, she pulled the lever to full capacity and openly sprayed Tommy, soaking him from his waist up. His short hair and sleek chest were dripping with water as his jaw fell.

Wiping the excess water from his face, Tommy laughed, "I can't believe you just did that."

She didn't say anything, she couldn't make her lips move in any other way than the huge smile she had at the moment.

Beckoning her over with his hands, Tommy said, "Come here, give me a hug!"

He stepped forward, his arms opening wide.

"What? No way!" She laughed as she took several steps back.

"Come on, come here!" He started towards her as she continued slowly back stepping out of the kitchen with him only a few steps in front of her.

When he made a sudden move towards her, she turned and bolted right out of there. Her feet made hard contact with the wood floor as she ran through the maze of his house and into his living room.

"Ahh, no, Tommy," she squealed. She could feel him just a breath behind her.

She dove on to the long couch, landing on her back as Tommy leaped right on top of her. Their fit of laughter overtook the room as their arms wrestled. He straddled one of her legs, helping pin her down. With a chuckle, he shook his head, bathing her with the excess water dripping from his hair. Simplicity at its finest.

Their laughter continued as their short lived wrestling came to a stop. Her left hand came gently to the side of his back, holding him in place in fear he would roll off the couch. His right trailed to her waist, resting it there to better steady his balance over her. Slowly, their laughter started to become sparse as the reality of their precarious position hit them.

Kimberly swallowed as Tommy hovered over her. She stared at the lips she hadn't had the pleasure of tasting in over ten years, patiently waiting for him to come to some kind of decision. Tommy's heart was threatening to beat right out of his chest as he stared down at Kimberly. It was pounding away carelessly, pumping blood to all regions of his body. He wanted her and he had no doubt she knew that too, especially considering he was pressed so tightly against her.

He was a thirsty lion, looking for a place to hydrate in the drought. Her lips were moist and willing, seducing him for a taste.

Making a decision, Tommy slowly descended his lips towards Kimberly as she tilted her head up to meet him. Her long lashes fluttered closed as she desperately awaited what she'd been wanting all morning. Feeling the light fanning of her warm breath on his lips, Tommy's eyes closed and he shakily narrowed himself closer until they were merely centimeters apart.

Their lips brushed only faintly before a loud Hayley barged into his living room, catching the intertwined couple.

"Oooh, he-llo," Hayley gasped as she swiftly covered her eyes with her hands.

Tommy and Kimberly's eyes sprung open as they pulled apart in an awkward frenzy, like two teenagers caught in the act. He fell back on the couch, his lids shut tightly as he strained to tame the tightness in his pants. To his left Kimberly was sitting identically, trying to steady her breathing.

They had nearly kissed. Kissed. Under normal circumstances it wouldn't be a big deal. Although Kimberly didn't jump around from one guy to the next, she had had her share of first kisses. This was different though. She turned into the same puddle as she did as a teenager. There was something about him that knocked down the walls she had built for the last ten years, a lighter igniting a flame inside of her. Although she didn't get a real taste of his lips again, the feather like softness she felt and the way he was pressed so tightly against her left her thirsty and yearning for more.

Hayley's hands fell from her eyes as she uncovered them to meet the two adults. Adults. That's what they were. So why did her hands fall on her hips like she was about to reprimand her child? There wasn't a worst feeling than walking in on something you shouldn't have. Especially if it consisted of your best friend and a woman you've heard about but didn't really know too well. Some things weren't meant to be seen or interrupted.

"Hi," Kimberly answered, her cheeks as pink as the suit she used to wear. She stood from the couch, pulling down the hem on the shirt she was wearing to cover up.

She recognized the red head immediately from the other day at the cyberspace, but she never got her name. Her gaze fell between Tommy and the wide eyed woman as she stood practically naked. Who was she? As the awkward silence grew in the room, Kimberly's mind couldn't help but wonder that maybe Tommy hadn't been completely honest. Maybe there was someone else, and she was now standing in this very same room. Either way she felt absolutely ridiculous.

"Ugh, hi," Hayley answered as she let a few breaths go by. Dangling a shiny set of keys in her hand, she continued, "Kids brought your jeep."

Hayley's stomach was turning with every breath she took. When she had received a message this morning asking if she and Conner could help bring his jeep back to his house, she accepted no questions asked. When she returned the message just moment earlier that she was on her way to his house, he never once hinted that he wasn't alone. Just simply replied for her to use her spare key and let herself in. She loved Tommy dearly, but walking in on this was not something she ever wanted to experience. That's what she gets for trying to be nice and getting his abandoned vehicle from outside the restaurant. She could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks and flushing red, she had never been more embarrassed in her life.

Breaking the painfully awkward silence, Tommy spoke, "Kim, This is Hayley. You remember me telling you all about my college buddy."

She had never experienced a bigger sigh of relief up until that moment. How could she ever doubt him?

"Oh, right. We've met, but we've never been properly introduced." She extended her small hand to meet Hayley's, thankful that the beautiful red head wasn't about to open up a can of whoop ass on her. "Hi."

"She actually owns the cyberspace," he added.

"Oh, really? That place is great. I was actually just on my way over there."

"Really," Hayley smiled brightly. Okay, Kimberly was now her favorite. "Want a lift?"

The offer was definitely tempting.

"I'd love one, but I actually have a cab coming for me any minute," she replied. Tucking a strand of hair that became loose behind her ear, Kimberly slowly stepped towards the hallway. "I'm gonna go grab my things and leave you two to talk."

Now that Kimberly was out of sight, Hayley had a few words for the black ranger. With her voice just shy of a whisper, Hayley grunted, "She stayed over?"

Tommy winced shyly, "Yeah."

"When were you gonna tell me? When I walked in on you two doing more than I'd like to see?" Hayley's hands moved to her hips, holding herself from going off on him.

Putting his hands on her shoulders to calm her, he said, "Hey, nothing happened."

She wasn't mad, far from it. The only emotion she was capable of feeling that moment was absolute embarrassment . She shrugged his touch away. "Oh, don't lie to me Tommy Oliver. She's practically half naked."

"She's got shorts on... Very nice short shorts," he trailed off almost dream-like. He shook his head, falling right back to reality.

"So I'm guessing that means you told her?" Hayley stood back, her eyes full of hope before they were crushed the next second.

"Not yet. I'm working on it, all right? I'm gonna tell her today at the cafe."

"Cafe?" Her usually soft voice raised, turning raspy before dropping in volume, "Isn't this something you'd like to say in private?"

"Yeah, but I really just want to get it over with already. And luckily for me if she tries to kill me, there'll be witnesses."

Hayley wasn't as oblivious to how nervous Tommy was as others may be. She knew him well enough to know when anything was off with him. He was serious about Kimberly and although she didn't know the petite brunette that well, she was genuinely happy and hopeful that things would work out for Tommy. He hadn't had that goofy grin on his face in a long while, and it was nice seeing it again. Especially with how dark and gloomy his life had turned out.

"Sorry for walking in on you guys," Hayley cringed. "I guess I should have knocked first."

"No, it's okay honestly," he reassured his best friend. "You know my door is always open for you. Besides I'm kind of glad you walked in. I don't want things to start out like this. I want to tell her first."

Lugging two heavy suitcases, Kimberly stepped down the stairs and into the living room where Hayley and Tommy were still talking. She placed her bags down carefully before running to the door and informing the impatient taxi driver she would be right out.

In the five minutes she was gone, she had not only packed her bags, but changed into something presentable for the outside world. Her hair was brushed straight, falling softly to one of her shoulders. She'd changed into her high waisted jeans, emphasizing her small waist and curves. When she bent to grab her bags, Tommy nearly groaned at the deep V in her flowy cream top that was giving him a peek at what was hiding underneath.

She was perfection served on a plate.

A second later something that was hanging delicately around her neck caught his attention. The same dainty necklace he had given to her all those years ago rested above her chest, reflecting the sunlight. He was grinning wildly inside, but the outside couldn't emit any other emotion other than a half smile as he stared at her tenderly.

"Alright, guys, I'm gonna head out." Firmly grabbing her bags, Kimberly waved at the two adults. "I'll see you both in the cafe in a few!"

Tommy couldn't mumble a single word as he continued to stare at the door even moments after she'd closed it.

"Mop up the floor, Tommy," Hayley playfully taunted. "You're drooling all over the place and go get that cut checked out!"

He nodded, not even a single word Hayley said entering his ear. There was only one thing consuming his mind.

 _She still had it after all this time._

* * *

"Please, not again," Mayor Abrams begged as Elsa tightened the clasp on his wrists.

She scowled at his request and he hissed at the vise-like grip digging into his sensitive aged skin.

The elderly mans head spun, the fear of what was to come blurring his vision. A series of spotlights blinded him, only the faintest of shadows could be seen moving in the distance. Still, he'd been in the room long enough before to know _exactly_ what they were doing.

Lifting his head lightly, he peered down his body over to the large form of the reptile he would become once again. Mesogog barked orders to his henchwoman, and if he wasn't mistaken, there was resistance there. Almost as if she loathed who Mesogog was.

Elsa worked to tighten the straps on her master, enjoying every grunt and hiss he released as the rope burned his large wrists. The thick texture of his skin was no match for Elsa's strength as the sound from the tension of the rope engulfed the room.

Zeltrax stole a quick glance behind him before he lifted the sapphire blue liquid sitting in a beaker up in the air and into the light. This _had_ to work. He swirled the contents lightly, making sure to not create bubbles and nodded to Elsa. In any normal day he would have walked the potion to her himself, but the pain radiating from his missing leg was too great.

The Tyrannadrones were working hard to build him a new prosthetic, but it wasn't an easy task. Not as easy as Elsa's at least. She was stitched up in no time and was now back to her wicked self.

To his surprise, Mesogog didn't kill them when they revealed their failure. He simply threw a childlike tantrum in the already destroyed lab and called it a day. Elsa seemed to have received the worst punishment out of the two, but she at least survived. Three Tyrannadrones weren't as lucky. He spat the same threats as always, but at this point, he felt they were empty promises. Maybe he'd finally realized that without himself or Elsa, Mesogog would be nothing.

Elsa grabbed the large beaker from Zeltrax's cold metal hands and made her way to the whimpering mayor. Mayor Abrams pressed his lips together firmly to form a line and turned his head to shove it against his shoulder.

"Really," Elsa snorted in annoyance, "you're going to make me do this again?"

He said nothing as she rolled her eyes. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she used her thumb and forefinger to press tightly on the feeble mans nose, robbing him from air. His fists clutched tightly at his sides, his knuckles turning bone white as the desperate need for oxygen became too demanding. He thrashed as much as the clasps allowed him to from his restrained position, refusing to give into what Elsa wanted.

As the seconds passed like hours, his body failed him and slipped into survival mode. His lips parted widely as he took in a large breath. His lungs didn't get a chance to fully expand before the black clad woman forcibly shoved the contents of the beaker into his mouth.

He coughed profusely, the blue liquid spilling out of him and trickling down his hallowed cheeks. As he composed himself and allowed his breathing to settle, Elsa poured more into his blue stained mouth and closed his jaw. His face twisted as the bitter liquid successfully made its way down his throat, a blazing fire tainting his esophagus.

Her wicked snicker replayed in the mayors ears quietly as she migrated over to Mesogog. His glowing yellow eyes lifted slowly to meet her deep brown ones. Cautiously, she watched him. Her gaze trailed down his large body and fell to the razor sharp claws at his side.

She let the room fall into an eerie silence as she recalled how those same claws were wringing her neck just moments earlier. The red burns on her skin around her throat were simple reminders of how unstable this man was.

"What are you waiting for?" Mesogog sneered, "Give it to me already."

The crowds at City Hall had already gathered and were desperately waiting for the Mayor of Reefside to make a statement on the Rangers.

She nodded at his orders and carefully placed the beakers on his thin lips. With a steady hand, she slowly allowed the contents to spill from their container and into his large mouth. He grunted as the fiery potion made its way into his system, burning everything in its path.

Zeltrax stood back, his thumb resting on the red button that would power the machine he and Elsa helped create. After his potion mix up a few days ago, he knew that this machine was his last shot to see if Mesogog could successfully be reverted to his old self. If this failed, then he knew that without a doubt, Mesogog would forever be stuck in his monster form. He would become increasingly too powerful and his own plans for revenge on Tommy Oliver would be ruined.

This _couldn't_ fail.

With a single nod from Mesogog to Zeltrax, the cyborg pressed the button and began the switching process.

It began without a hitch, two beams scanning the restrained men from head to toe once again. The ear piercing beeping ricocheted off the wall, the illuminated bodies of the two men attested to its visual success. Everything seemed to be in order.

Hot steam violently expelled from the vents as the machine worked hard to switch the two. A loud cry came from Mayor Abrams as the effects from the machine began taking place.

Elsa's eyes lit up as she watched the two glowing bodies strapped to the gurney. It was working. It was a thrill to watch it happen before her very eyes once again.

Before the process could be complete, the machine rumbled powerfully, shaking the room like an earthquake.

Through every previous attempt for this process, Mesogog never once even let out a cry of pain, but this time things were different. As the large reptile was engulfed in light, he roared in agony, frightening his minions. He thrashed uncontrollably on the gurney, twisting and turning any way he could to rid himself of the pain.

Zeltrax and Elsa stood back in defeat. They couldn't do anything, only watch as their master fought the knife twisting sensation away. Seconds passed slowly before the two restrained men abruptly fell into unconsciousness and the light engulfing them faded.

Elsa's eyes widened in disbelief. Sprinting to the two still men, she rested her head on their chests to check for a heartbeat. There was something there, it was faint but there. She paced back and forth on the glass covered floor between the two unconscious men, her hands rubbing up and down her face.

Facing the injured cyborg, she pointed at the two men, "Why didn't they transfer?"

Elsa expected him to be just as surprised as she was, but he wasn't.

"He's stuck," Zeltrax said calmly.

She wasn't sure if it was his tone or the way he carried himself with no worries, but it pissed her off.

"Stuck," she asked incredulously. "What do you mean stuck? Wha-what did you do," she growled.

The cyborg said nothing as his eyes fell on his masters sleeping form.

"Zeltrax!" She barked at him and he whipped his face sharply to face her.

"What we both wanted," He sneered back, his voice dripping with rage. "You wanted your friend back and I needed him defenseless."

"I didn't ask you to do anything!"

"He was getting out of hand," he practically screamed at her face, but she didn't even flinch once. "You see how he threatens you— us. He's killing the tyrannodrones. What else was I suppose to do? He's out of control. Now more than ever!"

"What did you do?" She asked, her voice desperate for answers. "You're not giving me anything!"

"He was supposed to stay in Anton Mercers body permanently," He turned to her, his voice low and husky. "Leaving him human like— weak. Like you." The beakers resting on the table cracked as his hand made powerful impact with the hard slab of wood, sending an evenly distributed jolt.

"Me weak," she snorted sarcastically. "You're the one without a leg."

Zeltrax scowled at his teammate, the pain in his leg rearing its ugly head once again.

Needing to know more, Elsa continued, "So why is he in this body?"

"Two potions mixed accidentally," he groaned. "I'm just as pissed as you are."

"So we've both lost," Elsa stated the obvious, a hint of bitterness behind her voice.

Up until that moment she didn't know exactly what was happening between Mesogog and the cyborg. There was tension between the two, but none more than what she usually felt. Now she knew that there had been an accident and she wasn't deemed important enough to inform.

"Yeah, he's just as powerful as ever."

It still wasn't making sense to her. They had been testing out this machine for months. All of the possible errors and scenarios were thought through. Why would one little potion make such a big difference?

"That doesn't explain why he won't switch to the other body," she asked, hoping he had more answers to give her.

"Like I said, he's stuck," he roared, filling the room with his words.

She refused to believe it. Zeltrax wasn't stupid. If he could create something to get him into this mess then surely he can figure out a way to get him out.

"What about Anton Mercer?" Her head lifted, the hope that Mesogogs human form still lived inside him. "He's gotta be in there still. You must know something —"

"I know that making this machine was a mistake and we seriously underestimated the side effects it would have on him," he sighed in fury and turned to look at his masters sleeping body. "Aside from psychologically—"

"He was already clinically insane," she rolled her eyes while Zeltrax growled at the interruption.

He could never get a word in with her.

"—aside from psychologically there's something I discovered yesterday."

Elsa turned to face him sharply. Bringing herself directly before him, she asked him intently, "What is it?"

With a sigh and a groan, he cruised the wall to a series of small cages housing two rat specimens within each four walls. With a simple beckoning of his head, he motioned Elsa to follow him.

They stood before their experimental rats. The same ones that they would practice on to see if their experiments would work. Over the last several months she had grown to care for them. Their success saved her life from time to time, especially the two she was directly in front of. They had a personality of their own, making distinguishing them even easier than looking at the color of their fur. The white albino rat was calm and soothing, keeping to itself for most of the time. The black rat was rambunctious, the equivalent of a reckless teenager. Salt and Pepper she named them, her saviors when the switch machine had successfully done its job on them. Her nose wrinkled tenderly at the rodents as she waited for Zeltrax to say something.

With silence still hanging between them, she sighed.

Elsa eyed him skeptically, picking at her chipped manicure, "What's with the fur balls?"

Rapidly taking the pocketknife from Elsa's waistband, Zeltrax stabbed the innocent black rat much to Elsa's horror. She stepped back as the small rodent squeaked in pain, crying for salvation from the cyborg that was currently draining its life. The knife continued its journey inside the small rat, ripping its intestines, blood spewing out its petite body.

Elsa's hand was resting on her chest, feeling her heart beating rapidly against it. Humans she could do, but seeing a defenseless animal got to her strangely enough. She looked between Zeltrax and the blood covered rat, catching its beady little eyes with hers.

"That's enough!" She roared and pulled Zeltrax back, breaking the contact with the rat and the pocketknife.

The cyborg stared at Elsa, trying to see if she saw what he did.

"What the hell? Why would you do that?"

 _She didn't._

His gaze was fixed on the rats while her eyes were trying to look anywhere but. When he reached for her, she shoved him away. The cold touch from the cyborg was chilling.

"Elsa, did you not see what just happened?"

"You're just as crazy as Mesogog?"

"No," he shook his head and pulled her closer to the cage. "They _both_ died when I only stabbed _one_."

Her dark brown eyes narrowed, black lips parted as his words began trickling in.

"Wh-what?"

She turned to look back at the cage. Her brow raised as she stepped forward to better inspect the inside. The black rat was clearly dead from having been stabbed gruesomely by Zeltrax, the other... It was still, unmoving, but untouched. Carefully, she reached into the cage and took the small white rat out.

 _How is that possible?_

She stroked the small thing, it's body already stiffening with every breath that she took. "What does this mean?"

"It means their life force is forever tied to the other," he began. His fingers trailed the wall beside him, using it as a guide to move across the room. He could feel Elsa's eyes following slowly as he continued his painful journey. "If I would have known about this Friday I never would have given him the potion and we wouldn't be in this mess. This could be our way of getting rid of Mesogog for good. Kill the mayor and he dies."

It took her a moment for the reality of what Zeltrax was suggesting to hit her. Placing the dead white rodent back into its cage, she turned to glance at the two unconscious men. She remained quiet, hypnotized by the slow rise and fall of their chests.

"But... So will Mercer," she whispered to herself, but the cyborgs super human hearing picked it up.

"Not unless we can figure out a way to separate the two."

Her head lifted that second, she moved in quick strides to him, her head raddled with a million and one questions. "But you just said he was stuck."

"I mean separating them for good," he clarified. "Two beings instead of this ridiculous Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, back and forth were always doing."

If it was that simple, why didn't they think of doing that before? Ripping the two souls apart was dangerous. There was a chance that one couldn't live without the other. Was that something that was smart to do?

"But what if separating them doesn't matter and all three of their life forces are tied together?"

He'd thought of that before, but what else was he supposed to do? Sitting there doing nothing wasn't going to help. They had to be proactive, no matter the cost.

"It's just a risk we're gonna have to take."

"We— we can't do that." Elsa shook her head, her conflicting thoughts battling inside her. She paced rapidly until Zeltrax's cold hand gripped her forearm, stilling her.

"Yes we can," he hissed lowly, "but just not right now. I need Mesogog to command the Tyrannadrones and get the black ranger. I can't do that if he's dead. Once I have what I want, no one will stop me."

She knew that the cyborg was beginning to tire of the same failed attempts time after time, but to even propose such an idea was insane. Even through everything Mesogog had put her through, she was still loyal and would never betray him. The human part of her that still held on to her emotional thinking screamed yes, but the wicked side wanted no part of it. It was backwards strangely enough. Ella wanted to be free, to leave the island with Anton Mercer, Elsa wanted to stay back and follow her masters orders.

"That's treason, I refuse!"

Using his strength, Zeltrax shoved Elsa right up against the plethora of multicolored test tubes, knocking some off the shelves. "Are you going to get in my way?" His tone armed and dangerous.

"If you don't want to become a double amputee I suggest you get your disgusting meat hooks off of me," she growled, her hands shoving the one legged cyborg away from her.

Their scuffle was loud enough to awaken the reptile, lifting him from his slumber. He stirred groggily, his glowing yellow eyes creeping open. He groaned as Elsa and Zeltrax remained quiet and frozen, watching him carefully from across the room.

When Mesogog felt the restraints still holding him, he let out a ear bleeding roar. Elsa and Zeltrax threw widened eyes to one another. Did he hear anything they just said?

"What happened?" Mesogog barked at the two standing a short ways away. Elsa moved quickly to try and get the restraints off, but the large reptile used his strength to rip the rope from his wrists.

Why he wasn't in the mayors body, he didn't know. It was something the very guilty looking Zeltrax would have to explain to him. For now he'd had enough of the games. If he wasn't going to make his press conference then he only wanted one other thing.

"Sir—" Elsa groaned when his large claws made contact with her throat again, throwing her across the room as he ripped the remaining rope from his ankles.

"I've had enough of you two failing. I know now I have to do everything myself." He stood, his eyes burning a hole in Elsa by his heated glare.

She was trying to regroup on the ground, her hands clutching the pain around her fragile neck.

A small army of Tyrannadrones made their way inside the destroyed lab, their hands behind their back as they awaited orders from their master.

Stepping over Elsa, he commanded, "Get me the girl. I think it's time we finally meet."

* * *

 **Author Note:** Hey there! This was such a fun chapter to write. I actually didn't think it was going to turn out to be this long, but I guess I just got in the zone of writing and couldn't stop! Anyway, this is a pretty important part of the story concerning Elsa and Zeltrax. I hope you all enjoyed as much as I had fun writing it! Please let me know what you guys think in the form of a review or PM. Fun things to come for Tommy and Kimberly! More to follow!

P.S. I would have had this up sooner but for some strange reason my file kept messing up and bunching all the words together. I've somehow managed to fix it, but this is my fifth attempt, lol.


	12. Chapter 12

**CyberSpace Cafe**

 **Reefside, CA**

 **10:02 AM**

The soft tapping of Kimberly's fingers hitting the backspace on her laptop was all that was keeping her sane at the moment. Year after year her writing had been her passion. There was something special about how powerful getting the truth out made her feel. Maybe it was how every little letter she typed created a word that changed people, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst. Either way, the choices people made had to be heard. Unfortunately, her words weren't really spilling out of her like they normally did. Although she loved what she did, other things were crowding her mind.

Her lips moved as she read back her article in silence, bobbing her head at every word. Kimberly was sure that what she had so far would satisfy her impatient boss all the way back in Miami until she could complete it. She ran a small hand through her hair, hoping to relieve some of the stress this article was causing her.

Taking a short break, she brought the steaming mug sitting on the table up to her lips for a small sip.

 _Mmm._ Nothing was better than a good latte in the morning.

Sitting with her ankles crossed at an empty booth at the back of the cafe, she surveyed the room. Her fingers tapped on the table at a steady rhythm, trying to come up with more words to fill up the pages, but she had nothing. _Nada_. Zilch.

How could she even think of anything besides what happened at Tommy's house moments ago? Talk about one of the most embarrassing things to ever happen to her in her life. She didn't regret it or anything they did leading up to it, but she just wished they wouldn't have been walked in on. They were _right_ there. So close she could almost taste him.

Maybe it was the universe telling her to not get tangled in that web again, but why? Especially when she knew deep down that she wanted it. Being with Tommy was effortless. At this point it came as natural as breathing. What was holding her back? The very rational fear of his rejection, but why was that something she still thought about? He obviously didn't hold any resentments. He brought out these insecurities that she had long gotten rid of. Instantly being reverted to a teenager that was always wondering if she was doing the right thing. She wasn't that though. She was a mature adult that had experienced real adult relationships, but why was this one guy making her feel that way?

She sighed, releasing all the built up tension while she fiddled with the necklace around her neck. Kimberly carried it dear to her heart, never going more than a few days without it. It wasn't until just that moment that she realized who had given her the precious piece of jewelry. She'd gone so long without thinking about Tommy that she never noticed that she had carried his symbol of love with her for the last decade.

Aside from Tommy no other man had ever gotten like this to her. At least not besides the Black Ranger. He was... Definitely something special. She hadn't even heard his speak and she was instantly smitten. Maybe it was how much he reminded her of her past. There was a certain spark she felt when they were together, almost like she was back in her pink suit, letting the power run freely through her veins.

Shaking the frustration and thoughts away, she hit send in her email and sent it away. Slightly feeling one small weight lifting off her shoulders.

The mug was calling her name once again and she gave into temptation, allowing the warm liquid to quench her thirst.

"Hey, Kim!" Kira waved to the young journalist before taking a seat opposite of her.

Dabbing her lips on her napkin, Kimberly returned the friendly gesture. Not even a second went by before both Conner and Ethan made their way to their teammate and the former ranger.

"Hey, guys! How are you doing?" Kimberly returned, smiling at the teenagers she had met on her first day in Reefside.

The blue ranger nodded, "Good and yourself?"

 _Aching. Stressed. Exhausted._

"Sore but nothing a little massage when I get back to Miami can't fix."

 _More like a 90 minute deep tissue massage._

Conner came to the head of the booth, stealing a chair from one of the nearby tables and sat down. "Sore? Oh, right. We heard about your little run in with the Rangers yesterday."

She turned to Conner, her brows raised at the center. "You did?"

How did he know that? Were last nights events broadcasted on the news and she didn't know about it?

Noting Kimberly's inquiring glare, Kira began to worry. She didn't know what Kimberly knew or if her teacher had mentioned anything at all. It wasn't her place to tell Kimberly anything. That she knew for a fact.

"Cassidy told us," Kira jumped in, trying to cover up her leaders minor slip, "right guys?"

"Y-yeah," Conner stuttered as he sank deep into his chair. "Of course."

"You know she always has to brag about something," Ethan nodded with too much eagerness.

They were swimming in a pool of lies. The guilt painted on their face was something Kimberly picked up on right away. She shook her head, not allowing herself to give too much thought to their expressions. "Right."

"So," Kira spoke hastily. "How's Devin?"

"Cassidy didn't tell you about that?" Kimberly quipped, her eyes narrowed behind her mug as she took another sip.

"It was a quick call."

Was Kimberly that obvious when she was trying to keep a secret as a teenager? It could be that after years of lying to everyone around her she could spot a lie with her eyes closed or Kira could just be a really bad liar. The latter seemed to be the most plausible.

"He's doing fine. His arm is broken and he'll be in the hospital for a few days, but he's going to make a full recovery. Actually," she stole a quick glance at her watch, "I'm waiting for a message from Cassidy. He should be getting out of surgery any minute."

"Awesome." Ethan cheered quietly.

He wasn't exactly friends with Devin, nor had he ever spent any time with him outside of school, but seeing how brave he was made Ethan look at him in a new light. It took someone really special to stand up to someone like Zeltrax. He probably wouldn't have been as brave if he didn't have the Dino powers enhancing his strength. Devin did it all on his own, powerless, and that was definitely admirable.

"Yeah," Conner nodded, "I'm sure Cassidy will have him back to his normal self in no time."

The teens allowed a few seconds of silence pass by and at this point Kimberly was beginning to feel an overdue question about to come up.

"So," Kira began slowly, "have you talked to Dr. O recently?"

When did her love life become this huge newsworthy story that caused everyone to hound her? Did she just call it a love life? Whoa, getting a little carried away there. Tommy was a topic she never really talked to anyone about. No one could understand everything they had been through. She loved Lily, but she could never tell her how much deeper their relationship ran than high school romance. It was more than that. It was real. Mature. Grown. Being a ranger did that. At 18 Kimberly had felt she had lived and experienced more life than anyone else her age. And now at 28 she felt she was now at an even ground with everyone. These teens wouldn't be able to understand the depths of how complicated things with Tommy were.

"Guys, I know."

Kira tossed a curious brow to Conner and Ethan. Great, but _what_ did she know?

Conner pressed his lips together, before speaking, "Know what?"

"That you guys were listening in on Friday," Kimberly smirked and the teens all shared a touch of disappointment.

They were hoping their teammate had cleared the air and had everything come out into the open. Unfortunately they were all still in square one. I mean, how hard is it to just tell the truth? At the rate he's moving Conner was surprised that he ever even got with Kimberly in the first place. He moved like a sloth.

"What? us? We would never." Ethan shook his head. His words sounded surprisingly so believable that he almost convinced himself he had nothing to do with listening in on Friday, but the splinter in his ear from the door reminded him otherwise.

Again, Kimberly wasn't buying it. Not because he didn't sound convincing, but because she had her own source inside that classroom. "Cassidy told me."

Disappointment... Again. Ethan sighed, "And another one for blonde."

Kimberly could dodge the question all day if she wanted to, but it was easier to just tell them the truth than to leave them to come up with conclusions on their own. Teenagers had a wild imagination, and the last thing she wanted was to possibly start a rumor about her and Tommy and have him be the talk of Reefside High.

"I'm sure you guys know we had dinner yesterday. I don't think Tommy would approve of me talking about what goes on in his life with his students, so I won't. But just for the record, I'm meeting him for lunch today because he said he wanted to tell me something. Satisfied?"

"Yes. Totally!" Kira smiled. That was surprisingly easy.

Great. Another date with Dr. O and then things would really take off between them. This was his last chance. Okay, Conner was just going to say it. "Kim, is there any chance that you'd consider going on a date with me?"

She nearly spit her coffee out at that one. Kira groaned while Ethan fought hard to burst out from laughing uncontrollably.

Kimberly chuckled awkwardly at his question until she noticed he was being serious. Wait, this isn't a joke?

Swallowing her coffee, she asked "Conner, how old are you?"

"17"

"And how old am I?"

"I'm guessing 28."

"Right," she nodded. "Do you see how big of a difference that is?"

"Age is just a number."

When did teenagers become so upfront. Conner was sweet and he wasn't a bad looking guy, but when she saw him she saw a 12 year old. He was a baby in her eyes. She couldn't think of him as anything but.

"How about when we're both the same age, we can go on that date," Kimberly offered and Conner smiled, knowing that would obviously never happen. Still, she was entertaining him and that was a start.

 _I'm starting to wear her down._

Conner sat in silence, letting out a faint sigh as he let her rejection settle in. Catching an incoming body making its way towards the table, he turned. "Hey, Trent."

"Hey, guys." The white ranger was balancing a tray of drinks on his left hand, slowly making his way to the back booth. "Um, Kim, how was your coffee?"

"It was amazing. Really! You definitely know how to make a mean latte." Kimberly dug into her purse and pulled out a loose five dollar bill, handing it to Trent as a special tip to the barista.

"Thank you," he smiled in appreciation. "Would you like a refill?"

"I would, but I gotta jet." She removed herself from the booth, stretching her arms up and over her head as she fought the sleep from her eyes. "Devin should be out of surgery by now. I'll see you later!"

Kimberly's flicker of chocolate hair was getting smaller from Kira's point of view. Sandwiched between the wall and Ethan, Kira turned in the long bench, placing her knees on the plastic cushion. Her head popped up behind the backrest of the seat as she called after Kimberly. "Wait, what about meeting Dr. O?"

She turned her head to find the four teens watching her every move. Their multi colored shirts almost made her take a second look as they reminded her of her younger years.

Nah, they couldn't be.

Waving her cellphone in her hand, Kimberly replied, "He sent me a message not long ago to meet him outside Reefside Memorial when I'm done."

She waved them off one final time before disappearing through the front door of the cafe, leaving the Rangers to shrug to one another.

* * *

 **Later that morning**

Having just arrived at the cafe moments earlier, Tommy grabbed a seat at the stool by the bar. His wallet was sitting on the counter as he toyed with a few bills, sighing as he arranged them back in neatly. Finally he was pain free, but a few hundred dollars poorer. Unfortunately for Tommy, being a Power Ranger didn't come with great health insurance. In fact, it came with none... He didn't even get paid. He gave his body to the city, letting the monsters and villains slowly take a toll on it. His knees creaked when he walked, his back ached when he stood too long, and he was hated by everyone in town. How could life get any worse?

Taking Hayley's and Kimberly's persistent advice, Tommy made the quick trip to the local Urgent Care and had his wound attended to. The doctors and nurses eyed him skeptically as he walked in, not believing a single word about how he cut himself cleaning out the attic. Yeah, Kimberly didn't believe that one either. Either way they stitched him up and sent him on his way with a hefty bill and a prescription for the discomfort. He'd just make sure to take the bill out on Elsa and Zeltrax next time.

His hands rested on the table, his fingers snapped together to calm the unruly nerves bubbling under his skin. He lifted up his arm, catching the time on his gold watch resting around his wrist. Stealing a quick glance around the room, he saw no signs of Kimberly.

It was fine, he wasn't worried. It just gave him time to come up with the right words to tell her about his ranger side job. After sighing to relieve his nerves, he smiled politely at the man drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper beside him, catching the deep wrinkles around the mans piercing blue eyes. Those were the eyes of someone who had seen some real shit in their life.

Tommy rubbed his palms on his jeans, drying the sweat building up.

Clearing his throat, the elderly man placed the newspaper down on the counter. The thin paper soaked up droplets of spilled coffee, blurring the black ink. "How ya doin?"

Tommy threw a quick glance from the corner of his eye. Was he talking to him? He turned his head to the man, "Fine, thank you. Yourself?"

The man shrugged, fixing the long tan robe draping down his leg, "As well as I can be for a man my age." Extending a hand out, he spoke, "Don."

"Tommy," he replied as he shook his hand firmly. Feeling the soft aged skin touching his own.

Don tipped his head up, studying Tommy carefully. "You look nervous, kid. What's wrong?"

Was he that obvious?

"I-I'm suppose to meet someone here."

Don nodded, "Ahh, she stood you up?"

I hope not.

"Nah, she must just be running late," Tommy replied, but that possibility was now entering his mind.

"You nervous she ain't comin'?"

Now he was.

"No," Tommy paused for a moment, "I'm actually nervous about what will happen when she shows up."

Don gave him a weak smile, rubbing his bald head gently. Obviously all of this was tearing him up inside. "Is she your lady?"

"No. Well, she used to be, but I want her to be again, you know? Life kind of got in the way between us, but after spending time with her again after all these years I've realized just how _right_ everything feels when we're together." Okay, who was this guy and why was he able to get Tommy to spill his guts? There was something eerily familiar about him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. There was a comfort he emmited, a warmth. It was fatherly, powerful, all knowing.

Don's pale skin was sagging lightly around his face, the years of hard work evident. His voice was soothing but firm and assuring.

"Ahh, yeah, I've been there," he laughed fondly. "So, if everything is so right, what has you sweating like a pig?"

"I have to tell her something and I'm not sure how she's going to take it."

Tommy let the words slowly trickle out of him, calmly but thoroughly eyeing the man before him. He looked like he had been ripped from another world and placed in Reefside randomly. His clothes, his demeanor— it reminded him of _someone_.

"And if you don't tell her?"

Tommy stopped to really think about the consequences if he didn't tell Kimberly. The bad outweighed the good heavily. "Then... I could ruin things for us."

"You seem to really care for her a lot if you're so worried about losing her. I'll bet that if she means so much to you, then you mean just as much to her." Don patted Tommy reassuringly as he stood from his seat, leaving the Dino ranger to ponder on his words.

"Hey, Tommy." Don paused at the half open door, allowing a few teens to trickle inside. Tommy turned his head to the exit, catching the older gentleman peering from the door. "Maybe there's a reason she's not here. I'd highly advise you to ask around."

He hadn't even thought about asking around, but there was something about Don that made Tommy trust his every word. "I'll do that, thank you."

"And concerning you and Kimberly," Don smiled knowingly while Tommy rose from his chair. He never said her name. Tommy's brows furrowed as Don continued, "Well, sometimes you just have to trust that what's meant to be will be, and let the power protect you through it all."

Tommy's eyes widened. He made his way to Don, but a large group of teenagers stepping inside the Cafe blocked him from moving any further. Don had disappeared in the crowd, leaving Tommy completely confused about what had just happened. It couldn't have been _him_ , could it? He was dead, Andros told him as such.

"Hey, Tommy!" Hayley called out to him. He turned, his eyes still widened and lost. "Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"I think I might have," Tommy whispered and Hayley's head tilted.

"What?"

"Nothing— I.. Have you seen Kimberly?"

"No," she shook her head, "but she should be here somewhere. I'll ask Trent when he comes back from taking out the trash."

"Ask Trent what?" The white Dino ranger walked inside from the back of the cafe, dish rag draped on his shoulder.

Tommy walked to him. "Do you know where Kim is?"

Trent leaned back, his brows raised. "She said she was going to the hospital to check on Devin. Weren't you supposed to meet her there?"

No, no he wasn't. Tommy's arms crossed in front of him, his answer completely puzzling him. "What are you talking about?"

"She left the cafe almost immediately after getting here. She said Devin had just gotten out of surgery and she was going to see how he was doing. Then she got a message from you saying you'd meet her there."

He didn't. He couldn't have because he would have remembered. "I never sent any message."

There was a simmering of fear slowly building inside of Tommy. His heart was racing and he was losing the ability to think straight.

"Maybe the others know more." Hayley grabbed onto his shoulder, giving him a gentle pat and Tommy nodded, accepting any other possibility.

Kira sat at the empty booth Kimberly had been occupying earlier, writing down lyrics for her new music. Near a whisper, Kira sang the words back to herself, her head bopping to the music she had in her head.

 _"...Trying hard to figure out_

Tell me what it's all about

'Cuz I don't want to freak you out

Freak you out

Freak you out—"

"Kira!" Tommy came to his teammate nearly breathless.

Kira jumped in her seat, startled by her teacher. "Hi," she returned with her brows furrowed.

"Do you know where Kim is?"

"Yeah, she went to visit Devin at the hospital," she leaned back in the booth, creating some distance between herself and the black ranger. "Shouldn't you be there?"

Again, no.

At this point Hayley and Trent were beginning to worry, but it was nothing compared to Tommy. Panic was now settling in and he had every right to be. Ethan was entranced in his video game at the other end of the Cafe, there was no way he would be able to get a word out of him. Then there was the red ranger chatting up a girl a couple of feet away. Maybe he knew something.

The red ranger was leaning on a wooden post, throwing a smug smile while he clutched his prized soccer ball. "And then I scored the championship goal."

"Wow!" The small brunette fluttered her silly lashes.

"—Conner!" Tommy interrupted, the two other rangers and Hayley following behind. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't be barging in on a conversation, but he had to know where Kimberly was.

His name didn't faze the red ranger however. He ignored his mentors call and continued to woo the girl before him. "Yes, wow. Maybe you can come to one of my games."

"Conner–" Tommy insisted.

"Shh..." He huffed hastily. He was reeling the girl in.

"I'd love that." The brunette threw the soccer player a bright smile.

"Awesome." He nodded, "How about you give me your number and we can meet up later—"

"Conner!" The foursome yelled, finally garnering the red Rangers attention.

"What?" Wasn't it enough that Dr. O stole Kimberly from him? Now he has to go and ruin things with this chick.

"Do you know where Kim is?" Tommy spoke, hope was still lingering inside him.

Wow, really? All that for this? "She's meeting you at the hospital," Conner rolled his eyes. "Did you forget or something?"

Tommy was 110 percent sure that he did not reply to Kimberly. In fact, he hadn't even spoken to her since she left his house a few hours ago. Someone must have sent her a message impersonating him because he sure as hell didn't. He never even got her message about Devin in the first place.

"Tommy," Hayley turned to him, her worry mirroring his. She didn't know what to say. Whatever was happening, whatever this misunderstanding was didn't sound good. She felt for her best friend, but also for the woman that he deeply cared about. Kimberly could be in trouble or she could be safe— there was no way of knowing just yet.

Tommy reached inside his pocket, fishing his cell phone out. He dialed Kimberly's number before he could even think about anything else, but it went unanswered, going to voicemail after a few rings.

"Maybe it's nothing," Hayley tried to offer some positivity, but Tommy shook his head before she could finish her sentence.

When had life ever worked out fine? When was a something like this _not_ a big deal? Mesogog had to be behind this, and he was sure Zeltrax wasn't too far behind. They knew about Kimberly now, and he was sure she would be used against him. Just like he feared, just what he didn't want to happen.

"Hayley, I think you know our life well enough to know that it's never nothing."

He had her there. The last couple of years has been a roller coaster. Ever since Tommy discovered the Dino Gems things hadn't been the same. They were almost a curse, hell-bent on destroying any glimmer of hope and happiness in their lives.

"You should go to her."

* * *

 **Author note:** Hey there! Hope you guys enjoyed this newest chapter! I had a little fun with Tommy talking to a certain someone. If you guys figured out his identity then let me know, lol! We will see what has happened to Kim in the next chapter! Anyway, let me know what you think in a review or PM! I always love hearing what you guys think! See you soon!


	13. Chapter 13

Hospitals weren't usually seen as a joyful place, not unless you were in the maternity ward. Even then, not all outcomes would result in celebration. Devin's recovery room was on the other wing, off to the right of the large building where patients that weren't in critical condition could leave easier.

Still, seeing the body of a 17 year old drugged up on pain medication really got to Kimberly. She'd had several injuries when she was a ranger, but none that required immediate medical attention. It was her fault he was here. If she wouldn't have gone off about how everyone is capable of being a hero then he probably wouldn't be here. Her own feelings about the black ranger clouded her judgment and she didn't think about the consequences her words would have on the impressionable teen.

This is her fault and she refused to believe it was otherwise. Seeing Devin so exhausted from surgery and chuckling painfully during their conversation was hard for Kimberly to take. She really couldn't bear to watch more of it.

"I should probably let you get some rest," Kimberly sighed. She sat by his bedside, leaning forward in her chair.

The scrapes on Devin's face had been healing nicely, making the teenager still recognizable. A better picture than the one from the day before. His busted lip was slightly swollen, making it a little harder for him to speak.

Cassidy nodded from the other side of the bed, Devin sandwiched between the two ladies. "He can go home tomorrow, so we'll catch you around Reefside."

That was a relief. She was sure he wouldn't have wanted to use up his spring break lying on a hospital bed. The teen was hard to read through all the bruising, but she never once saw a hint of anger in his soft eyes.

Kimberly smiled weakly before lifting to her feet. She placed a gentle hand to his shoulder, giving him a comforting warmth. "Thank you for what you did for me. I think you were the true hero of the night."

With that said she began her departure to his door before a soft voice halted her. "Kim, wait."

She turned just quick enough to catch Devin motioning to his book bag to Cassidy. Rummaging through the messy bag, Cassidy fished out a camera and handed it to Kimberly.

Slowly taking the camera from Cassidy, Kimberly looked up at the injured teen. One of her brows was lifted, unsure of what to do with the item she'd just received. "What's this?"

"Devin managed to reel up all these recordings," Cassidy spoke for him. "He always has some hidden cameras set up around Reefside and He was able to get some from Saturday's battle. We haven't had a chance to watch the playback but I think he captured some great stuff."

Under normal circumstances Cassidy would have watched the tape as soon as it was shot, but seeing Devin in such a state really had her reevaluating her priorities. He was more than just her camera guy, he was her best friend. She'd always had this tough exterior, but she'd come to realize that she had to take a kinder approach to those around her who mattered to her. Devin was nearly ripped from her. Who knows who else could be next.

"Be sure to let me know if I came out looking awesome or badass," He chuckled painfully, giving her a weak thumbs up.

He'd still managed to find the humor in all situations, and that fact warmed Kimberly's heart. There was something special about him. Even in the face of danger, he didn't back down.

"Thank you, Devin. I'm sure you looked both," she giggled at his comment.

Giving a tender hug to Devin, Kimberly made her way out of the hospital to meet Tommy at a bench outside the entrance. She bypassed the patient unit, opting to take the long corridor to the exit instead, much rather having to hear the constant ringing on the telephone than the cries of the injured patients.

There was almost an immediate relief felt when she stepped out of the dark and somber building. She fed off energy and there was no doubt that there was a lot of negativity inside that hospital. The heavy blanket of dread lifted off of her as she walked into the outside world. The heat radiating from the sun warmed her skin from the heavy cold inside, tanning it in the process as a small smile crept up her lips.

Cheerfully, she placed her bag down on the metal bench and began toying with Devins camera. She wasn't very tech savvy, so it was all a little foreign to her. The camera beeped when she pressed a button and the screen would change to different settings. She had no idea what she was doing, but a simple button labeled 'rewind' caught her eyes. She shrugged while she pressed it and was happy to learn that it began playing some of the footage from Saturday night.

Devin was definitely resourceful. The angle of the camera was great, the quality mighty impressive. From the playback it had appeared to have been from a high angle, somewhere from either the roof or second floor of a nearby building. She could use someone like Devin on her team. Maybe she'd put in a good word for him after he graduated.

The image was painted bright green, illuminated by the night vision setting that was installed. She smiled as she watched the four Rangers battling, they were great. One was missing though. She cheered when they were winning and winced when they got hurt like a sports fanatic. Her eyes never faltered from the screen, too absorbed in the battle to think of looking anywhere but. The snickers coming in from people trickling inside the hospital targeted towards her went ignored. At least she could make them happy before they walked into that hell hole.

Just in the far off corner of the screen there was a familiar figure running closer to the building the camera was filming from. A civilian in need of shelter perhaps?

She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a clearer image of the tall man with short hair. The man reached into his pocket to retrieve something. She wasn't sure what it was, it was too small even for such an advanced camera to pick up.

That's when it happened.

After a flick of a wrist, faintly, she heard, "Dino Thunder, Power Up!"

A bright flash blinded the screen, so powerful that Kimberly still had to look away for a few seconds until it faded. Where the man once stood, there was now a fully suited black ranger ready for battle.

Wait, was that...? Did she just...?

 _Nah, it couldn't be._

Her finger hit the rewind button so fast she almost chipped her manicure.

"...pU _rewoP, rednuhT oniD_ "

She hit the play button just as fast, bringing the camera inches from her eyes for a better view. The front of her brows tipping in as the face in the video became crystal clear.

"Dino Thunder, Power Up!"

Again.

"...pU _rewoP, rednuhT oniD_ "

"Dino Thunder, Power Up!"

Again!

"...pU _rewoP, rednuhT oniD_ "

"Dino Thunder, Power Up!"

If you couldn't trust your own eyes, who could you trust? Her heart was left physically trembling, her mouth agape. The strap that was tightly wrapped around Kimberly's wrist was all that saved the camera from shattering on the hard floor. She didn't have to replay the video any more times to know exactly who that was, she just needed to be sure her own eyes weren't deceiving her.

It all made sense now. She'd been with him earlier that evening. That's why— oh, God!

"Tommy," she whispered for only her to hear as she saw the black ranger ascend into battle.

Her heart took every blow the black ranger took. Her glistening eyes were shut closed the moment Elsa sliced him right in the chest, unable to watch the damage she was inflicting.

 _Cleaning the attic my ass._

"Kim!"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of her name. Slowly, she lowered her hand, and peered over the camera to find Tommy in the distance. He was across the street, blocked by the heavy traffic of Reefside.

There he was. Her eyes darted from Tommy to the black ranger on the screen. She was deaf, only being able to hear the sound of her own blood rushing to her head.

He rapidly made his way towards her, dodging and sliding over every vehicle in his path like a pro before fate intervened.

She watched him come closer and somehow managed to find the strength to stand. A prolonged silence fell into Reefside, a stillness. Like a living photograph. Suddenly, a gust of wind straight out of Tornado Alley came tumbling through.

She knew the eerie chill well enough to know what was coming next. From a bright green portal opening up from the heavens, six Tyrannadrones fell out and surrounded Kimberly.

 _No._

Tommy ran faster, cursing under his breath that he wished he had gotten Conners power instead. Maybe then he would have a chance to get to her before they hurt her.

Kimberly didn't fight it, too stunned by Tommy's identity to do anything but remain breathless. Her eyes were glistening with moisture as she maintained her focus on Tommy who she now knew was the black ranger. She was numb, unable to elicit any kind of reaction. The large beings gripped at her arms tightly, pulling at her limbs to keep their firm hold.

Nearing Kimberly and the Tyrannadrones, Tommy took a leap and dove right into the pit of beings. They ascended back into the portal before he could make contact, taking Kimberly with them, and closing the whirling gateway in a flash.

He flew right into the hard bench, taking a severe blow to his shoulder. It was nothing, merely a surface scratch compared to the pain radiating from his heart. "No," he groaned breathlessly. "Kim."

* * *

Dread. That's all that filled the lab at the moment. Kira, who was typically a little more cheerful and optimistic, couldn't think of a single positive thought. She was slumped in her chair, twirling a long lock of blond hair to ease her anxiety. All her problems seemed meaningless now. There was someone in grave danger and all she could think about earlier was trying to write a perfect song to present to the record producer.

Ethan sat on one of the large lab tables. His dark wash jeans dangled back and forth over the counter while his hands rested on the edge by his knees. Trent and Conner sat nearly identical on the floor, each with their backs to the wall, one leg extended, and the other bent while they rested one of their arms over it.

Aside from Tommy who hadn't stopped pacing the floor since they had all arrived, Conner couldn't help but feel slightly responsible. As leader he should have made sure that Kimberly was at least being carefully watched by one of the Rangers, a secret bodyguard of some sort. He knew she wasn't safe roaming the streets of Reefside since the day he saw her out in the battlefield. Elsa and Zeltrax had failed to get their target and they were sure they would be back to get her. He was right. The desperation in his mentors voice was one that would probably haunt him until the end of time. Tommy had always been so calm, cool, collected. There were maybe a handful of times where he had heard his mentor visibly shaken, but seeing him like how he was now was rough.

They had failed not only themselves, but their mentor. Their everyday lives became too important to lookout for an innocent, and now she had to pay the consequences for their actions.

"Tommy," Hayley spoke softly from her computer chair. She hated seeing her friend like this. He'd been pacing miles on the cave floor, wearing out his shoes with every step that he took. She was sure it was just a physical way to rid himself of the thoughts crowding his mind, but he was becoming restless.

"Tommy, stop," Hayley commanded louder than previously.

"I can't!" Tommy threw back, his tone harsher than he meant to. His eyes softened when he realized how venomous it all came out, but Hayley waved him off. She didn't blame him one bit.

"I'm sorry, Hayley. It's just," he sighed, a frustrated hand running down his face, "Ugh, this is all my fault."

"How?"

How was it possible that everyone seemed to be blaming themselves as if they were the ones solely responsible for capturing Kimberly? Maybe telling her their true identity would have had her watching her back a little closer, but it wouldn't have stopped Mesogog or his minion of idiots from taking her if they really wanted. They were playing on his board, the rangers were simply the game pieces while Kimberly was the grand prize. Hayley refused to let the team throw themselves a pity party while Kimberly was still out there in desperate need of help.

"They know about us," Tommy paused. "Why else do you think they're after her?"

Of course this was to get after Tommy, she wasn't stupid enough to think otherwise. Conner may be the leader, but Tommy was still the tactical guy that had been through this over ten years. The red ranger called the shots, but not after heavily discussing it with his teammate. Distract Tommy and you tear the team apart. She was surprised it took Mesogog that long to figure out the recipe.

"I don't know... Maybe it does have to do with you, but moping around isn't going to get Kimberly back."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, releasing some built up tension. She was right, but hearing that didn't make it any less easier. "What do you suggest we do? We don't even know where they took her."

Ethan had been too worried to think of anything. He hadn't even thought of opening his mouth in fear of saying or suggesting the wrong thing, but hearing the last words his teammate said gave him an idea that was borderline genius.

He obviously wasn't the only one that had the same thought because no sooner than he lifted his head, he was greeting with the same knowing smirks from his teenage teammates.

"You think?" Ethan's brow lifted.

Conner smiled before he shook his head at how ridiculous the thought was. Mesogog was genius at what he did. Sure, insult how he was as a person, but don't insult how smart that creature was. "They can't be that stupid, can they?"

"Yes, they can," Kira nodded, her lips turned upwards into a smile.

Tommy and Hayley remained oblivious to the teens thoughts, unable to grasp what exactly was running through their minds. "Care to fill us in?"

What else could it mean? Kira lifted from her chair as she made her way to the black ranger. She placed her hands on his shoulder, practically shaking the thought into his head, "They took her to where they took you, Dr. O."

Kira stepped back, allowing her hands to fall to her side while Tommy turned to Hayley. "That's too obvious."

"Exactly," Conner added. "They _want_ us to go after her."

Tommy sighed, feeling the gut churning nausea slowly returning. "This could all be a trap."

"I'm sure it is, but what other choice do we have?" Conner came to his mentor, his hands on his hips. In all honesty he was surprised that his teammate was being so cautious. When haven't they always walked into a trap?

"We can't even get in there without an invisiportal. Do you really think Mesogog is going to just open one up for us?" Tommy shook his head. He wished he could be more supportive of just waltzing into Mesogogs lair, but it wasn't his safety he was preoccupied with. Any small mishap could send Mesogog into a raging fit and cause harm to Kimberly.

"No," Kira smiled, "but we have someone who might be able to."

The white ranger came to his feet, burying his hands in his pocket while he walked calmly to the black ranger.

"Trent?" Tommy's brows furrowed. Surely the newest member of the team couldn't still posses that power, could he?

"I know I can do it," Trent nodded confidently while he received wide smiles from the rest of his teammates.

He had to at least try. He withheld a lot of information from his teammates, mostly of the secret identity of his father. Secrets got you hurt in his world, Kimberly was further proof of that, but right now wasn't the time to spill his guts. There was no going back when he did. He'd already lied to his mentor earlier than day when he was confronted about what Kimberly had seen two days prior. His father walking into an invisiportal wasn't shocking to Trent, but he had to play the part. He was devoted to his team, but he also made a promise to his father. One that he had intended to keep. Anton Mercer wasn't a bad guy, just misunderstood and highly intimidating, but aren't all geniuses?

"You'd be too weak afterwards," Hayley stated, but it didn't falter Trents spirit one bit.

"If these guys have my back then I'll be okay."

Letting Trent do this would be huge in terms of at least being able to access Mesogog's lair, but purposefully putting him in danger like that was a risk. Tommy's eyes fell to the small handbag and video camera sitting by his computer. Kimberly's belonging were peacefully resting there, awaiting for their owners return. It was the only thing of hers he had in his home at the moment. He grabbed them and brought him to his home when she was taken. The thought that he would never be able to see her alive again nearly killed him. Not only that, but he finally needed tell her the truth of who he was and hope she accepted him. There was so much eating at him right now and Kimberly not knowing that he was the black ranger was one of them.

"You would do this?" Tommy spoke only to Trent.

"What other choice do we have," Trent replied respectfully. "I know Mesogog wouldn't hesitate to hurt her."

* * *

"Uuugh," Kimberly groaned groggily. "What happened?"

Her eyes remained fused shut as her head turned from side to side. She'd rather take being hit straight on by a semi than deal with this pulsating migraine. The last couple of hours were kind of a blur. One second she was staring at Tommy and then the next—

Flashes of the last several seconds before she fell into unconsciousness drifted into her mind. The Tyrannadrones, the portal, Tommy.

Should she dare open her eyes? Slowly, one of her lids fluttered open, stealing a peek inside the faintly lit room. A quick glance told her everything she needed to know. She'd been here before, she knew what was to come. She'd lived through it. She was back, back in her nightmare.

Bravely, she allowed the other eye to open, her breath coming in uneven now. There was nothing else to do but leave, to try and survive, but she couldn't. Her arms were strapped tightly to the sides of a gurney she was resting on, breaking her skin every time she tugged to get free. The spotlight hovering above was blinding, leaving her vulnerable to the vulture she knew was hiding in the perimeter outside her view in the black abyss.

Whoever was there was watching her, getting a sick kick out of every whimper that fled her lips as she thrashed like a fish out of water. It was disgusting. Twisted. Demented.

The skin around her ankles and wrists were beginning to blister, the heat from the spotlight now adding fuel to the already burning fire. Her heart was galloping at a furious pace, threatening to leave in order to seek safety. She didn't blame it one bit. Brown eyes were met with tears as she sunk lower into the gurney, fearing what was about to come next. It was getting closer, she could feel his dangerous aura circulating the room. Her body was sickly, trying to fight a fever she so desperately wanted to sweat out.

The sinister laughter she was dreadfully anticipating came from the darkness, swallowing any trace of happiness and hope that lived inside of her. She was drowning again, unable to reach that satisfying breath of air she gravely needed. The grim laughter continued to her dismay, morphing into a rabid growl.

The figure in the dark began to near her, the yellow eyes glowing wildly in the darkness. She was mute, unable to speak, unable to plead for her life in fear of angering the beast further. The gurney jumped centimeters off the ground as Kimberly began thrashing harder and harder to get free to no avail. The squeaking coming from the metal frame of the bed pierced the silence in the room.

The collective droplets of moisture in her eyes slid down her trembling cheeks as she sent a final farewell to those she loved.

The husky breathing in the darkness drew closer, sending her blood pressure off the charts. She knew what was coming, but she wasn't prepared for the pain that would follow.

Razor sharp fingernails sprung out of the darkness and clawed into the sensitive skin around her ankles, drawing blood. Kimberly screamed in horror as her back arched, but he wasn't letting off. Her skin was painted red, dripping like a leaky faucet as he dug deeper and deeper. Small hands fisted the sheets on the gurney, trying to tame the pain, but no amount of pressure would suffice. Her bottom lip quivered as the pain and fear cumulated and exploded out of her glands uncontrollably, the salty moisture growing from her forehead running down the sides of her face.

When her slick eyes landed on the scaly texture of the beings claws, her flailing grew more frantic. She cried unashamed in her place, needing to release the fear running through her body. There was a moment of peace when he disentangled himself from Kimberly's ankles, forcefully sending the gurney flying a few feet back.

She struggled to catch her breath between whimpers as she heard the footsteps coming closer from the dark. Her face was covered loosely over a blanket of messy hair.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you..." came huskily from the darkness before he stepped into the light, revealing his prehistoric body, "Kimberly."

She blinked hard to get out of the living nightmare, whimpering as she did so. This was just like her dream only worse because this time she wasn't waking up.

* * *

 **Author Note** : hey there! Please don't kill me, lol. Look, I didn't want this to be a cliffhanger, you didn't want this to be a cliffhanger, but this was the most natural stopping point. At least I didn't leave you guys off with nothing after Kim was swept away into an invisiportal, right? No, not enough?okay. Lol. I know it's a little shorter than I usually write, but I didn't want to have this chapter drag. Hope you guys got this little throwback to chapter one with Kim and Mesogog! Anyway, please let me know what you guys thought about this in a review or PM. It ALWAYS makes my day :) I mean, Kim found out about Tommy! I think that merits at least some of your thoughts, lol! I'll see ya soon!


	14. Chapter 14

"Ugh," The white ranger groaned as he clutched his helmet covered head.

Five multicolored Rangers landed in the dark corridors of Mesogogs Island fortress. Each held their arms out for support as they struggled to find their balance after leaping through an invisiportal.

The trip from the lab to Mesogogs island was nearly instant, but came with some wicked side effects. The first three Rangers to join the team didn't have much experience with any kind of immediate traveling, hence their dizziness. It had been years for Tommy since he used to teleport from place to place with ease, making this feeling familiar but nauseating all at once. Trent had been the most recent ranger to wield the power of teleportation thanks to Mesogog, but it had been so long since he used it that the stomach churning effects were still very much there.

Ethan held on to his stomach as his breakfast was threatening to make its appearance. The remaining four Rangers felt nearly the same. The whirling gateway was never something any of them could get used to.

"Are you okay?" Kira came to Trent's side when his back collided with the dingy walls as the loss of balance became too great, his head lolling back. He hissed slightly at the contact, slowly sliding down the hard surface.

"Yeah," Trent nodded through the pulsating migraine, "just a little weak like Hayley predicted."

Opening the invisiportal had been more draining than he had imagined. He'd opened it before no problem, but now that his power no longer belonged to the dark side, it was increasingly more difficult to tap into it. He really wasn't sure if he had it in himself to reopen the portal so they could get out, but he knew he had to try. His team was counting on him, and since he still withheld the true identity of his father, he owed it to them.

The Rangers gathered around their drained teammate, helping him back on his feet. The white ranger appreciated it, but didn't think it was necessary. They were there to find Kimberly, not to look after his wellbeing and get sidetracked.

Shaking his head clear, Trent looked beyond the red ranger to the incoming threat sneaking up behind, "Tyrannodrone, 10 o'clock!"

Turning his head at just the right moment, Conner was able to dodge the incoming punch. The long hall was deadly quiet, so he sucked his breath in to keep the noise at bay. He grabbed the scale infested arm of the grimy being, flipping it over his shoulder and causing it to land with its back to the floor. His left hand fell over the tyrannodrones mouth, muting it from calling out for help. Taking a small pocketknife from his back pocket with his right hand, he impaled the creature in the back of the head. Ending its short life with as little noise as possible.

The Rangers remained breathless as their leader single handedly took out one of their enemies. They understood the necessity for a quick death, but Conners reaction had been brute and savage.

"Thanks!" Conner nodded to Trent and received the same in return. The red ranger ushered his team to move forward with his hand, each being sure to tightly brush up against the wall to keep from being seen. "Let's keep moving, but we've got to be quiet."

They followed orders with Trent falling shortly behind as he still hadn't replenished his energy from opening the portal. Stealing a quick glance over his right shoulder, Conner ordered, "Kira, stay back with Trent, but try to keep close."

"You got it," Kira nodded, she stopped as she waited for the white ranger to slowly catch up while the red, black, and blue ranger moved forward and turned a corner. She was sure they'd catch up soon enough.

The metal plated walls of the wide hallway were chilling. Within the walls lingered all the malicious things Mesogog had done. It consumed any trace of hope that lived within the Rangers, bringing them down into a depressive pit.

Tommy ignored the feeling, his brain only focused on finding Kimberly. He became nearly desperate, unable to maintain the silence and stealth it took to do things Conners way any longer. The black ranger broke from the threesome, jumping to the other wall while Conner gritted his teeth behind his helmet. Tommy's mind was running mad, following his own intuitions. He'd take being chewed out by Conner later. Right now he was more preoccupied with finding Kim.

Tommy continued his reckless journey, while Conner remained more cautious. Catching movement from the corner of the wall, the red ranger bellowed, "Dr. O, watch out!"

His voice ricocheted off the walls, echoing down the corridor. At the sound of intruders a series of reptilian foot soldiers sprinted from behind doors, filling the wide hall.

So much for remaining quiet.

The Tyrannadrones weren't gifted with much of a brain, they were more like an army zombies that could follow orders, but useless besides that. They were easily expendable, especially considering how badly they were treated.

Tommy grabbed the original incoming Tyrannadrone, slamming it against the wall and knocking it into unconsciousness. "Got him!"

Far in the distance Kimberly's faint blood curdling screaming could be heard. Tommy made a sprint for it before being held back by the red ranger.

"That's Kim!" Tommy tried to shrug his leader off, but failed.

"Wait," Conner peered over the corner of the wall, the large army of Tyrannadrones nearing them, "we can't go just yet. Walking in there would be suicide."

Ethan came to his leaders side, using his strength to hold down the black ranger that was fighting desperately to get free. When her cries of pain turned into silence, Tommy feared the worst. Again, he tried to break free from his teammates grasps until a soft voice halted him.

"He's right, Dr. O," Kira offered as she and Trent finally caught up to the team. "We will get Kimberly, but first we have to take care of these guys or we'll all be dead."

Tommy's angered breathing fogged up his visor, but they were right. Running in there guns blazing would not do anything but get one of them killed. They were one man down with Trent slowly recovering, they couldn't afford to lose anyone else.

"I wouldn't mind that," came hoarsely from behind the team.

The Rangers turned sharply and found the fully functional cyborg walking to them. His leg had been reattached, looking as strong as it had been before.

The black ranger stepped forward, taking a stance in front of the team. Zeltrax was one he always liked to personally handle. He didn't know why, but the cyborg had something out for him over the others.

"Ahh, nice to see you again, Tommy," Zeltrax chuckled while he pulled out his sword.

Tommy did the same, pulling out his Brachio staff from behind. Cocking his head, he returned mockingly, "Nice to see you with two legs."

Kimberly's screams came in once again, drawing the black Rangers attention away from the cyborg. They were hurting her again. Zeltrax tipped his head up to better catch the noise, finding great joy in the black Rangers disgruntled glare.

Zeltrax's laugh came cold and merciless, "You hear that? That's the sound of your little girlfriends life force being drained." Swiveling his large sword in his hand, he continued, "Care to be next?"

Tommy growled in his place as he swiveled his staff just the same. The two circled one another, two alpha males fighting for dominance.

Conners fists clenched at his sides, his lip snarling behind his helmet. This was a fight he so desperately wanted to be a part of, but leaving it to his more experienced mentor seemed like the right call.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before he was swept away in a battle when the Tyrannadrones came from around the corner.

Zeltrax swung first, charging towards Tommy at a furious pace. The black ranger blocked it just in time, grunting as their weapons collided in a shattering clash. They strained together, each pressing their weapons to one another in a pointless game of push and shove.

After only a moment did they break apart and Zeltrax got the upper hand at kicking Tommy's staff out of his hands with his newly reattached leg. The staff screeched down the slick floors of the hall until it came to a stop. Zeltrax's dark chuckle came next as he reveled in the fact that he now had an advantage.

The cyborgs head rolled back and forth, kneading the knot building up in his neck. With a wave of his hand, he flashed his sword mockingly to his opponent. Tommy's head tilted as he carefully watched Zeltrax's every move, one small mistake and he could be done for.

Using every unsportsmanlike tactic in the book, Zeltrax made a sharp dart towards the unarmed ranger. Still healing from his injury from Elsa, Tommy made a jump for it. Leaping and ducking from the incoming attacks by Mesogog's henchman. By a stroke of luck, Zeltrax managed to swing just at the right time, slicing a small sliver of flesh from Tommy's bicep and tainting his suit red.

The black ranger bellowed a hiss at the pain, but never allowed it to deter him from his mission. He swallowed the discomfort, using the extra adrenaline boost to cruise up against the wall into a back flip, landing behind the cyborg. With his leg fiercely flexed, he threw a kick behind his enemy, sending him clanking up against the wall.

The black ranger eyed his still weapon on the ground, his head darting back and forth for an opening to make a run for it. He lowered himself, beckoning Zeltrax with his hands for a shot. He would take him with his own fists if he had to.

Even though it went against everything his body told him to, Zeltrax couldn't back way from the tempting thought of finishing off the black ranger with his bare hands. With a predatory snarl he threw his weapon down the hall, watching it skid until it landed beside the brachio staff.

The remaining Rangers had been hard at work piling Tyrannadrones on the ground one after the other. Their strength was failing and Trent was becoming increasingly more powerless with every swing of his fist.

The yellow Rangers attention fell from her task and onto her white clad teammate, using her own strength to take some of the pressure off him.

"Trent, you have to save your energy!" Kira's voice came strained and tired, huffing to catch her breath through every word.

"I can't!" Trent gave a weak kick to block an incoming Tyrannadrone, but failed miserably. The creature retaliated, sending the white ranger grunting to the ground with a series of counter punches to his abdomen. "These guys aren't easing off."

Ethan came to his rescue, using his Tricera Shield as a weapon to block and slam into the minions. Trent nodded his appreciation, taking the offered helping hand from the blue ranger once the immediate threat was gone. It wasn't more than two breaths before more Tyrannadrones came their way and were engulfed back into a battle.

Conner sighed in frustration, the heat from inside his helmet creating a personal sauna. "Kira, behind you!"

They yellow ranger flew against the wall from an incoming kick to the spine, sending her Ptera Grips flying up in the air and down to the floor. Her visor chipped at the impact, creating a split off to the left.

Her body fell in a hard thump, leaving her in a mild state of confusion as she tried to come back to reality.

The red ranger came to her side, stumbling a few steps to help her back on her feet, Ptera Grips now in hand.

Kira's brain rolled in her head as her vision slowly came back. She groaned, dying a little at the throbbing happening in her head, "There are too many of them!"

The red ranger swallowed thickly, his arm around his teammates waist to support her up. Ethan was doing the same with Trent, holding the slowly deteriorating ranger up as best as he could as the army of darkness gathered around them.

"Give it up already. You're no match for me, black ranger," Zeltrax roared gravelly. He'd gripped the back of Tommy's suit, flinging him across the hall from one side to the other.

Typically this type of beating would discourage someone, but Tommy wasn't here for himself. He was here for Kimberly and Zeltrax wouldn't get in his way of her rescue.

The cyborg turned his attention to the other four Rangers just long enough to see the Tyrannadrones surrounding them. Using this small opportunity, Tommy lifted himself from the ground and sprinted to his brachio staff that had been resting on the ground for most of the match. Wielding the weapon in hand, Tommy barked, "Never!"

Proceeding to use his weapon for defense, the black ranger swung it across to impale Zeltrax, but the cyborg was too quick. Tommy's teeth clenched behind his helmet, beady drops of sweat cascading down his temples.

The yellow Rangers head was still spinning, her eyes refusing to focus on a single image. She was failing, but she couldn't. There was still an innocent woman they had to save and she refused to go out without giving it her all.

Kira shook her head, pushing right through the pain and disentangling herself from Conners grasp. With a harsh expelled breath she stepped forward and ascended into battle, her three male teammates joining her soon after.

The cyborg dove on to Tommy's legs, pinning him up against the wall. The black ranger groaned, struggling to get free from the hard grasp. Kimberly's scream came once again, the sound of her pain rumbling through Tommy.

Conner came to his mentors side, unable to hear more of the distress woman. Using his Tyranno Staff, he struck the cyborg on its shoulder, giving Tommy just enough time to escape.

"Dr. O, Go!" Zeltrax's wrath was forwarded to Conner, throwing the red ranger flying to the wall. He groaned in pain, harshly letting out, "We'll handle Zeltrax. You have to go find Kim!"

Tommy couldn't move, his eyes only darting through the chaos that was happening in the long hall. Loose limbs and severed heads from the creatures splattered the floor, creating a slick surface that nearly had everyone toppling over.

"Go!" Ethan bellowed, breaking the black ranger from his trance and urging forward as he blocked incoming Tyrannadrones.

With a sharp exhaled breath, Tommy pushed himself through the sea of the army and made a quick right. His footsteps echoed through the corridor, muting the distant growls from the Tyrannadrones battling his teammates. He followed Kim's voice through the lowly lit hall, praying that he wouldn't get to her too late.

* * *

"So, what?" Kimberly's head was spinning as her words came out a touch slurred, "Is this the part where I'm supposed to cry for help?"

Her head turned from side to side slowly while she stirred on the gurney. After clawing deliberately on her legs, Mesogog had asked Elsa to pull out a machine that would bring Kimberly a whisper away from death. She knew too much. There was no way he could let her out of his island alive. The beam had been unbearable, eliciting involuntary screams from the young journalist. The machine Mesogog had been using was draining everything from her, leaving Kimberly as weak as a kitten, but she never gave up. She couldn't. Deep inside of her still lived the brave 16-year-old that would deal with this on a weekly basis. She had never backed down from a fight or ran away with her tail between her legs, and she wasn't about to start now.

Maybe her initial reaction was to cower down, but that feeling didn't stay long. She was scared, of course she was, but that never stopped her before. The last week proved to her that there was more to life than being on the outside looking in, getting a thrill out of watching everyone live their life. She'd had a taste of adventure and danger once again, and she was here for it. Her fear, which was still bubbling below the surface, had been suppressed by an overwhelming feeling of getting back to Tommy. He was her will to live. She had to find him. Firstly to kick his ass for not telling her who he was sooner, and secondly to finally admit her hearts truth to him.

She wasn't upset. How could she be? He'd saved her life now more times than she could count, and now thinking about it, she had never given him that open invitation to tell her. She knew he was hiding something, but she never thought it would be this.

Of course he was the black ranger, it all made sense now. She wasn't crazy. How had she not pieced it together sooner? The case of Mesogog and his minions created an eclipse in her little world, casting a shadow during her stay when she so desperately needed the light to guide her way.

Mesogogs dark laughter broke her from her thoughts as her head continued to roll. If she didn't know any better she would have sworn she had been back to her partying college years, taking bets with who could out drink her. The pulsating hangover the next day was always the worst, and right now she felt she was living it.

"Well, you picked the wrong girl, buddy, because you're not getting anything from me."

Mesogog circled that small woman, his hands clasped behind his back. Elsa was smirking off to the side, her hand on a lever of the machine that was just actively draining Kimberly life moments ago. Her eyes skimmed the petite woman, wondering what exactly the black ranger saw in her. What did that pest have that she didn't?

Mesogog paused by her head, placing two heavy claws on her shoulders.

"I had you screaming a moment ago, didn't I?" She could feel the heat of his breath on her face when he lowered himself to her, the words slowly slipping out of his mouth.

Her brown eyes narrowed, "Never heard of a little theatricality?" She finished with a small grin, trying to prove how badly he didn't affect her.

Mesogog continued pacing around her, a malevolent smirk appearing on his face. Her wit had been enjoyable, he liked that about her. "You want to play games before you die?"

His voice came out thick. He could play with his food for a little while longer.

"Fine. Help, help, there's a big scary monster and he's threatening to kill me," she replied sarcastically before rolling her eyes, "Like I haven't heard that before."

Again, he laughed. She amused him and if she hadn't been on the wrong side of evil then maybe he would have had her join his team. Elsa was slowly becoming useless to him. Maybe the black Rangers love interest could be a better match for his Army.

"You don't fool me. You're scared."

Very much so, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"Yeah, scared that whatever you have going on on that thing you call a face is contagious."

He growled by her legs, slowly dragging a finger over the wounds he had inflicted earlier. She hissed in response, feeling the salt from his skin mix with the open gash. "You're making fun of the man that has the final say on whether you live or die?"

"You're a man," she half chuckled to mask the pain. "You look more like a deformed crocodile in need of some serious beauty tips." Kimberly's quick tongue was still as sharp as ever.

Elsa stifled a laugh in the distance, thoroughly enjoying the little spat they had going on back and forth.

"Beauty? You think I care about beauty?" He sneered.

"Well someone with your features would be so vain." Elsa spat out under her breath while she rolled her eyes. Kimberly picked up the snide comment from the side.

The former pink ranger retorted, "I am _not_ vain."

"Really, now?" Elsa scoffed. "You don't think life's been a little easy for you with a face like that?"

"I've had my struggles."

The black clad woman slowly made her way to Kimberly, looking down at her with absolute disgust. "I highly doubt that."

Mesogog patiently watched the two woman go at it. When Elsa hands fell softly around Kimberly's neck, the large reptile brushed her hand away.

"Elsa, let's not be rude. Our guest says she's suffered, I feel inclined to believe her. But just to be sure, why don't we show our guest how cruel the world can be when they no longer have such a pretty face."

Elsa met Mesogog with hooded eyes. She allowed a small smile to creep up her lips. The back of her cold fingers trailed along Kimberly's soft cheek, and her teeth became exposed when Kimberly tried to pull away from it.

"Don't touch me," she warned although she was in no position to make demands.

Elsa drew blood from her own lip as her teeth chomped on the sensitive skin. Her fingers continued to run down Kimberly's face, trailing from her cheek down to her jawline and neck.

"What a pretty necklace," Elsa said softly while she hooked her finger around the delicate piece of jewelry. "Mind if I borrow it?"

Kimberly held back her labored breath, "I do."

Mesogogs henchwoman inched herself to Kimberly's ear, whispering softly, "Too bad you have no say."

Kimberly groaned when the necklace Tommy had given her all those years ago was ripped from its clasp, breaking the delicate chain. Her neck was tattooed red where the piece once rested, it's remains engraved around her skin in its shape, leaving proof of its once existence.

Kimberly's eyes turned deadly fierce as Elsa dangled one of the most cherished items in front of her. Her wicked laugh was like nails to a chalkboard, and Kimberly couldn't contain her rage much longer.

Scowling, Kimberly lifted her head up swiftly, using her head to crash right into Elsa's, sending the woman groaning back several steps.

Elsa growled, holding her injury before storming back to the restrained woman. She was going to pay for that. Taking large steps, Mesogog came before Elsa. He ushered her back to her place beside the machine. This wasn't how he wanted things for Kimberly to end. It had to be under his orders. This was his game, not hers.

She nodded through gritted teeth, taking the steps back to her place by her masters command.

"I'm really gonna enjoy this," she told the small woman while she spun around once she made it to her rightful place. "Any final words?"

The severity of the situation had already hit her, but she didn't have anything deep or profound to share. They say that you can tell what kind of a person someone is by their last moments. Some cower down and beg for mercy, others croak some deep dark secret they've held deep within their heart, but others, like Kimberly... Well, they say just what's on their mind, "Kiss my ass."

Elsa brows lifted, unsure of how to take that comment. What a way to use your last chance to speak.

Kimberly shook her head, smiling lightly even in the face of death. Swallowing thickly, she spoke what she knew was fact and let that be known. "The power rangers will find me."

Ah, that's what she wanted to hear.

"Good. I was planning on that," Elsa chuckled. Her fingers wrapped around the lever of the machine, feeling the power of life and death in her hands, "Now where were we?"

With a simple nod from Mesogog, Elsa followed through with her promise and pulled the lever, sending Kimberly into that ear screeching fit of screams once again.

The bright red beam was like a fiery inferno sweeping through her body. Her strapped limbs trembled involuntarily as her will to live became weaker by the second. All the pain she had endured in her 28 years of life would only come close to how she felt this second if it had been cumulated and magnified by ten. She was there, gasping for air. Thrashing to get free. Her clenched fists were losing their grip, slowly falling open. The lids on her eyes were unbearably heavy, threatening to close with every harsh breath she took. There wasn't a flash of her life before her eyes or a peacefulness. All of it was drowned out by the poison that was that machine. Death seemed enticing at this point. She just wanted the pain to stop.

Her screams and groans became sporadic as she began losing her battle to the machine. The last thing she heard was Tommy's voice breaking into the lab just like she knew he would before the darkness came.

* * *

 **Author note:** Hey there! Hope you guys enjoyed this latest chapter! Things are just beginning for our Rangers and I have a couple things up my sleeve for the next chapter that you do not want to miss! This chapter was split into two parts because it was just incredibly too long! Expect the second part to this to be uploaded soon! Anyway, let me know what you guys think of this chapter in a review or PM! I always love reading what you guys think! See you all soon! :)


	15. Chapter 15

Tommy had burst into the lab in full blown action star mode. He was running on adrenaline alone. He moved without thinking, his eyes never wavering from Kimberly's still and comatose form. The lasers were still pointed towards her, actively draining all of her while she unconsciously fought to live.

The room had been empty aside from Mesogog, Elsa, and Kimberly. The army that would normally be surrounding him had all been commanded to the battle in the hall, leaving Mesogog defenseless.

"You're too late, black ranger," Mesogog growled. "Give me

Your Dino Gem or I'll have Elsa completely drain her life."

What could ever make him think he would agree to those terms? Even without his Dino Gem Tommy would be sure to take Mesogog down, but he wasn't going to make it that much easier by just handing it to him. Tommy shook his head defiantly, pulling out his Brachio staff from its short rest, "I don't want to have to do this."

His staff shined in the light, reflecting off the beam that was still aimed at Kimberly. Mesogogs sinister laughter soon followed. His heavy footsteps moved with him, echoing through the lab.

"You can't kill me," he placed his large palm out, anticipating the lone Rangers next move. "Now, your Dino Gem."

Mesogog moved forward towards the black ranger as Tommy took several steps back, his Brachio staff ready for battle. "You're out of your mind."

"You're really gonna make me do this?" Mesogogs voice came heavy and Tommy gulped as he stole a glance at Kimberly.

He wouldn't allow Mesogog to hurt her any more. He'd finish him off before the thought ever even crossed his mind again.

"You're not gonna get away with anything," Tommy's teeth gritted behind his helmet, his tone venomous and menacing.

Mesogog cocked his head in amusement, his lip snarling up in a wicked smile, "You see, I already have."

The large being dove forward, his claws splayed out to hook onto the black ranger. Tommy moved forward to meet his opponent, but immediately spun left, causing Mesogog to go tumbling forward. The black ranger set his attention over to Elsa who had been heavily guarding her machine like a hovering mother.

He couldn't even think about reasoning with her when she was visibly taunting him. An electric volt connected the machine to the laser, giving it its power. Kimberly's form was deteriorating by the second. He had to do something to stop it.

He advanced Elsa, his grip on his Brachio staff tightening. She sprung into a back hand spring, kicking the black ranger in the chest as she did so. Her slick bodysuit moved with her, curving with every bend and flip.

She landed upright several feet from where she originally stood. Her small hands were out and ready for battle, missing a very important piece of jewelry she had just acquired. She'd lost again to the black ranger. She'd not forgotten how he had sliced her with his sword the day before. He'd caused her extreme discomfort, as well as a lot of blood loss. Her recovery had been quicker than any mortals, but that didn't mean she didn't hold onto the grudge. It wasn't something she could easily look past or forgives The claws were out and she was ready for a battle.

Tommy didn't wait for her to make a move. He couldn't take the chance with how unpredictable Elsa had proved to be. He lunged forward, swinging his sword as Elsa pulled a metal plate from the ground at the last minute, using it as a makeshift shield.

She snarled as she tried to kick him repeatedly to no avail, still trying to block the black Rangers constant attack. They separated for only a moment and Tommy used that opportunity to kick the metal plate she had been wielding, sending her crashing back over a long table that was brewing fresh chemicals.

With Elsa on the ground, Tommy made his way to the machine that was sparking wildly. His eyes scanned for a way to shut it off, but it was more confusing that it originally appeared. He didn't want to take a gamble with Kimberly's life. One wrong button and he could make things worse for her. The tips of his ears were on fire, the blood in his body gathering around his head as he searched desperately for a shut off switch. He couldn't just leave the machine on. He growled in both fear and frustration as he pulled a lever off to the side and hoped it would do something to stop the laser from further hurting her.

Never in his life had he breathed a bigger sigh of relief than when the machine began to stall and power down, the beam slowly fading into nothingness.

Miraculously it was somehow the right one, and Tommy was sure he wouldn't be this lucky ever again. And just like he predicted, he was met with a fist to the left of his helmet, sending him flying to an array of chemical weapons on a large wall.

Tommy hissed as his back collided with the various beakers, glass shattering by his feet as the multi colored liquid pooled on the ground.

Even with the fire surrounding his back Tommy still managed to duck and dodge the incoming fist coming from Mesogog. He spun behind the large being, kicking him in the back and sending him clashing into the wall he had just been thrown into. He'd given him a taste of his own medicine and it was thoroughly satisfying.

Tommy didn't wait for Mesogog to gather himself and retaliate. Instead he went to check on Kimberly. He placed his fingers to her thin neck, hoping to find a pulse in Kimberly's seemingly lifeless body.

His smile burst through him, overshadowing the pain all over his body as he felt the rhythmic beating of her heart against his fingertips.

His glee didn't last more than two seconds before he was pulled back into battle by Elsa. Mesogog was still trying to recover off to the wall. The large reptile embraced the shards of glass from the broken beaker that had dug into his hands, giving him long and deadly weapons.

Before Elsa was able to make any real attack, the lab doors had burst open once again. This time a large crowd rushing right through it. The Rangers had been holding their own, even though they had been vastly outnumbered. The four teenage Rangers had been taking down the Tyrannadrones, the bottom of their feet tracking in the red remains of them.

Zeltrax followed them in, keeping his attention on the leader ranger. Kira came to her mentors side, fighting Elsa off with her Ptera Grips to give Tommy the chance to get to Kimberly.

The movements became dizzying, everything blurring as the Rangers got lost amongst the chair.

Tommy didn't come here for war. He came to get Kimberly and now that he had her, he wanted nothing more than to get her to safety and as far away from Mesogog as possible.

Coming to Kimberly's side, Tommy desperately searched for a way to get her out of the straps. They'd been tied at her wrists and ankles, making it extremely difficult to unfasten the knot. He was pushed forward by Kira fighting off Elsa, nearly sending him flying on top of Kimberly.

Tommy pushed back as hard as he could, but couldn't leave Kimberly to go back into battle. He needed to get her out of there first. That was his first priority.

Tommy winced over his shoulder as Ethan took a hard kick to the abdomen by Mesogog. With the Tyrannadrones quickly outnumbering them, he knew they couldn't stay in the lab much longer. All of them had to leave and continue the never ending war some other day.

"Trent, open the invisiportal!" That was the only thing Tommy could think of. Maybe the white ranger hadn't fully replenished his energy just yet, but they couldn't afford to stay in Mesogogs Island Fortress much longer.

Trent nodded while he back away from battle, his hand still holding on to his stomach as he tried to concentrate on drawing the last drop of power he had left within himself.

Conner had been personally handling Zeltrax, loving every blow he was able to make on the cyborg. They had been on par throughout the battle, each counter blocking each attack the other would make. The red ranger was beginning to feel the effects of his wounds as the constant fight had started to get him winded. He fought valiantly, pushing through the discomfort. His visor had been severely fogged up from his constant breathing, making it nearly impossible for him to see through it. He was battling blindly, but never showed a sign of weakness.

The synthetic being swung his sword, sparking with the Tyranno Staff that the red ranger was actively swinging. When their weapons touched once again, Conner pushed up, disarming Zeltrax.

The red ranger simply smiled as he came to have the upper hand. With nothing more than a smirk, he set off his staff. Shooting a blast of lasers to the cyborg, sending him flying across the room into a cube shaped machine to the far wall.

Zeltrax growled sharply, using what he'd just been thrown into as support to stand back up. Just then a stroke of genius that would ensure the Rangers would come back hit him harder than a brick to be face.

Without giving a second thought to the consequences this would cause, Zeltrax pulled the lever to the switch machine that had failed Mesogog just yesterday. He was certain it would cause some sort of damage. The heat alone would disintegrate anyone in the lasers path without drinking the proper potion before starting up the machine.

Tommy continued undoing Kimberly's straps as swift as possible with the chaos still happening around him. The burns painting her wrists nearly had him physically ill, it was proof that she had been fighting for her life. He only hated himself that much more for not getting to her sooner. Giving her a quick once over, he tried to choreograph how exactly he was going to get her on him. Her feeble state left her like liquid.

"Come on, Kim," he groaned breathlessly, "Wake up."

She returned nothing but the simple rise and fall of her chest, making his tighten just that much more. If only she really was sleeping and had not just been on the brink of death.

Slipping his arms under her knees and around her back, Tommy cradled Kimberly up from the gurney and brought her close to him. Her limp body hung loose on the black ranger, causing his hold on her to become increasingly difficult to maintain. Her dead weight caused tension on his injured bicep as he clenched his teeth to subside the pain.

Setting his attention on the invisiportal Trent had just summoned, Tommy made a quick run for it before nearly being flung back by an incoming Tyrannadrone. Being cautious of the petite woman in his arms, he back away slowly, waiting for an opening to the entrance that was blocked by the dark army and his teammates that were currently in mid fight.

Zeltrax reveled in the soon to be downfall of the Rangers. His machine had started up without a hitch, roaring as its engine fired up. It wouldn't be long until it fell into action and although he would love nothing more than to watch, it wasn't safe for himself.

"We have to go, my Lord," Zeltrax hissed, ushering Mesogog out of the lab.

"No!" The large reptile refused, standing his ground. He shrugged the hard clasp of the cyborg off of him. Hating the fact he was being forced to leave before he saw the Rangers finished.

"We must!" Elsa tried as she realized what Zeltrax had done. She gripped her masters scaly arm, tugging him towards the large doors of the lab.

The switch machine Zeltrax had started was beginning its search in the room, it's eyes scanning all of the capable bodies. If they stayed any longer they would become its next targets for sure.

"Dr. O," Ethan bellowed, drawing his mentors attention at the right moment.

Tommy turned just in time to see a blurred image of an apprehensive Mesogog leaving the lab with his trusted sidekicks. There was a flash of red nearing where he was with Kimberly, slowly scanning every crevice in the room. Thinking right on the spot, he lowered Kimberly on the floor hastily. He hovered over her, his body working like a lead vest shielding her from the lasers.

He caught a glimpse of something reflecting right at arms length. The shinning piece danced in the light as the small image began to clear. He reached for the item, bringing it closer to inspect the dainty necklace that had been around Kimberly's neck just earlier that day.

"Ahh," the four other Rangers gave a shrieked cry before they were engulfed in a beam of light so bright it rivaled the sun. Tommy blinked hard, trying to maintain his vision from the flash behind him that was nearly blinding.

After stuffing the delicate piece into his pocket, all Tommy could do was wait the couple of breaths it took before he too was riddled with pain. He tried to fight away the discomfort, his teeth grinding behind his helmet as the fire consuming his body slowly began to magnify in strength.

Kimberly's body remained guarded below him, her natural color still there while his was replaced with a glowing light.

"What's happening?" Ethan groaned through gritted teeth.

The red ranger gasped through every breath, "I don't know!"

Conners eyes were fused shut, trying to shield himself from the assaulting light wreaking havoc on his senses. Kira's hands were balled into fists, her gentle heart pumping so fast it hummed. Ethan was straining inside his helmet, his forehead pressed so tightly against the floor he almost feared it would shatter. His whole body burned and ached with every breath he took. The white ranger was near death or so it felt like it. Even behind closed lids all he could see was white. He wasn't sure what was going on. His brain had fried and he was now in survival mode. The pain had removed every other thought from his mind, leaving behind only the most basic of necessities. Breathing.

The pain was followed by a repulsive scent of smoke that danced freely through the air. For a moment Conner was certain it was his own flesh seemingly melting right off his body, but the obnoxious rattle and beeping that followed soon after had him thinking otherwise. A sudden explosion off to their side added fuel to the already burning fire as all the Rangers remained on the ground, trashing and groaning.

The Tyrannadrones had withered into ash, staining the floor in their perfect silhouette with their remains. Only after a few more seconds of pain that felt like years did the bright light begin to fade.

The Rangers suit had offered an extra layer of protection that allowed them to safely withstand the light. Kimberly's unconscious body remained tucked under Tommy's, oblivious to what had happened around her.

The invisiportal remained open through it all, whirling abandoned off to the side.

"Ugh!" The blue ranger was the first to try and get up. He came up to his knees, his whole body throbbing and aching with every breath. His teammates soon followed, each with their own deathly headache that was leaving then incoherent.

The black ranger groaned above Kimberly as he tried to piece together what or who was under him. With a few blinks her image became clear and he nearly threw himself back at the realization. The last couple of minutes had been a blur that he didn't even recall her being beneath him. Had she been there the whole time?

Just like clockwork, the two large doors leading into the lab had busted open. The large army of Tyrannadrones came through ready to begin another battle.

The Rangers came to their feet, Kimberly in the black Rangers arms. Leaving him defenseless and prone to any attack.

The red ranger scanned the room immediately. They were in no physical place for a fight right now.

"Take Kimberly back to her hotel! The coordinates have already been altered," he bellowed to the black ranger.

The black ranger nodded though he was still confused about everything happening around him. Taking a deep breath he jumped right into the invisiportal, vanishing with no more than a light thunder.

"What do we do now?" The yellow ranger was nearly breathless as the Tyrannadrones began to surround the foursome.

The blue ranger looked to his leader to seek his next move. The beings were gathering closer by the second and if they didn't act now they were sure to be done for.

"Conner!" The blue ranger called out and the red ranger didn't immediately respond. "Conner," he tried again.

The red ranger nearly threw up in his mouth as he stared down at his suit. His hands trembled as he took his color in, but pushed it all away. Right now wasn't the time for a mental breakdown. Releasing a deep breath, he commanded, "let's go!"

He immediately ushered his teammates into the portal, allowing them to go first to make sure he didn't leave anyone behind me.

A loud snicker gathered the red Rangers attention. Spinning on his heels he saw Mesogog and Zeltrax laughing knowingly in the background. Even through his visor his eyes met Zeltrax's. There was anger and hatred there from both sides. This wasn't over by a long shot. He would be seeing both of them again.

He leaped into the portal with nothing more to give and vanished right with it. Leaving behind no trace of the invisiportals existence.

* * *

Safely tucked behind the horizon, the sun had said its final goodbye and the town had greeted mother moon. Darkness had consumed all of Reefside on that quiet Sunday night. No longer had the day been filled with life and sunshine. Instead it was replaced with the dread that had been that afternoon and the pain she had endured.

Somewhere between the travel from Mesogogs Island Fortress and arriving at the hotel, Kimberly regained consciousness. Her body sunk gently into the king size bed she was placed and for a moment she really had to stop and think about what just happened. The room was still spinning, but there was a presence there that was not her own.

Kimberly had always been told she could make a monk that took a vow a silence speak, but she'd never managed to get a word out of the black ranger. Now she knew why. Just the thought that he oddly didn't want her to know his true identity was mind boggling. Even thinking about it now it made perfect sense that he was who he was. How she'd never pieced it together she would never understand. Maybe there was a part of her that didn't want it to be true, but there was also a bigger part that couldn't be happier it was. The last week she had been negating her feelings for one or the other, now it made perfect sense. It was Tommy. It had always been Tommy. Her heart knew even before her brain did and that was both exhilarating and terrifying all at once. He had a power over her that even ten years later she didn't quite understand.

She sat up gently on her bed, fearing that if she moved too quickly that she would lose her nerve. The black ranger had been getting ready to leave, seeing now that Kimberly was seemingly okay. He'd watched her in the night for only a moment, swallowing deeply in the back of his throat.

Her eyes were just now adjusting to the darkness, catching just a flicker of a shadow in the far wall. The black Rangers suit blended perfectly in the dark, nearly making him invisible even without the use of his active power. She tried to speak but found her throat empty and dry.

When his shadow neared the exit, she tried again.

"Wait," Kimberly managed to spit out a whisper.

Her soft voice was like a brick wall blocking his departure. His body tensed as he felt her slowly making her way to him. Releasing a shaky breath, he turned his head and caught a shadowy glimpse of her brush up against his side and come to a halt before him.

"You've saved my life three times already and I've never given you a proper thank you." He could hear the smile in her voice even through the drumming of his heart pounding in his ear.

Throwing caution to the wind, Kimberly's hands came to rest gently over the smooth surface of the armored spandex, slowly riding up the chiseled chest of the black ranger. His breathing deepened when her fingers ran over the stitched up bandage under his suit. Sparks flew beneath her fingertips as they molded into every curve of his muscles, recalling how it felt to be in his arms from the other day. She swallowed hard when her hands came to rest on the small clasp of his helmet, feeling the power right on her fingertips. He caught her hands, stilling her movements as fear and uncertainty flooded his mind.

"It's okay," she reassured and his hands fell softly down to his sides.

Her fingers flicked the dainty metal to unfasten it, the sound piercing the night. Slowly, she pulled the helmet completely off his head and rested it on the bed as she stared at the shadowy figure before her. He shuddered at the breeze running through his short hair, cooling his head.

She could hear his heavy breathing, it matched her own. He was right in front of her. His figure was drowned out by the night, his features muted. The darkness swallowed the room, not even allowing the faintest of light to peek through, but still she knew all she needed to know. He was here, and he wasn't running away. She'd been waiting for this moment since she first saw him, dying to taste him once again.

Licking her bottom lip gently, she narrowed herself to the faceless Black Ranger. With the courage of ten brave men, she closed the distance between them and placed a tender kiss to his awaiting lips.

The black ranger tensed for a moment, his eyes widened in disbelief as he couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Kimberly was kissing him.

 _Him_.

Her lips swayed with his momentarily, getting a taste of something she'd been deprived of for ten years. He didn't know how to react, but his body did. He relaxed, allowing himself to instantly go into autopilot.

She stepped back, her lips subtly parted and moist as her eyes fluttered open. Her heart was pounding away carelessly, threatening to beat right out of her chest.

With shaky hands, she grabbed the helmet from the bed and offered it to the black ranger, allowing him to decide what he wanted. What next step he was willing to take. She was at ease now that she knew who he really was, and her body wanted him more than her next breath.

The Black Ranger, on the other hand, had different plans. He took the helmet from her, placing it back on the bed and out of the way. She grinned widely at the realization, knowing that he pick her.

His gloved hand came to rest on Kimberly's cheek, gently stroking the soft skin with his thumb as he tried to familiarize himself with it. She leaned into his delicate touch. Her breath caught in her throat at the contact, her legs threatening to fail right under her.

Not letting another second go by, he captured her lips hastily. Kimberly released a surprised yelp before softly moaning into his mouth. Her arms wrapped around his neck, deepening the kiss she so desperately wanted. His right hand moved down her sides until it came to rest on the small of her back, drawing her closer to him.

She pulled him to her, falling softly on the bed as he hovered just above. How it should have been before they were interrupted. The taste of his lips on hers screamed familiarity, but the rhythm of the way the two pairs danced together was very different than anything she had ever experienced with him before. Ten years was a long time. Her lips were soft and sweet as she kissed him with precise expertise, sending a jolt of electricity running up and down both of them. Her fingers swam greedily through his hair, tugging at the short spikes she had come to grow accustomed to.

He wasn't sure what was right to do. Where exactly did he place his hands? How far was too far? His hands trailed from her hips up to her waist, allowing the natural reaction she stirred from him to lead the way.

"Tommy," she gasped into his lips, in a voice that was almost not her own. It was full, dripping with desire that she hadn't felt in so long.

The black ranger was running on lust alone, deafened by the sheer intensity that was fueling deep inside him.

"Tommy," she gasped again when his kisses trailed to her neck, but this time he was sure he heard her voice right in his ear. She turned her head, capturing his lips in another deep kiss that he was so willing to take. His lips still moved on a mind of their own while his eyes snapped open. She knew?

When her hands trailed down to flick the small zipper on the back of his suit, only then did reality sink in. His true age resurfaced as this insecure teenager, unable to handle the maturity that came with what she wanted.

The Black Rangers sudden tear away from her lips startled her, sending her into a wave of confusion. Her fingers moved to her lips, feeling the heat from their kids still lingering on her fingertips. She gulped, trying to garner her composure as she watched the shadow scramble to get his things.

 _He couldn't do this_.

Throwing his helmet back on, the Black Ranger ran out to the balcony and jumped down floor to floor until his feet touched the safety of the ground. He ran like a shadow in the night, camouflaged in the darkness. His bottom lip was sucked in his mouth, trying to rid himself of the intoxicating taste of Kimberly. She was sweeter than he expected.

 _What the hell just happened back there?_

He was supposed to leave Kimberly sleeping comfortably, but when she made a move, he couldn't help but go along with it. He couldn't will himself to stop no matter how many times his head screamed that it was wrong.

When her voice came in the night, whispering the name of who she wanted so sensually, it all became too much.

Sprinting to a parking lot several blocks away, he removed his helmet. His breathing came uneven and heavy.

His eyes landed on the passengers side window of a lone car. The moonlight reflected on the glass, casting a mirror effect.

"How is this possible?"

With widened eyes of horror he took himself in, his dark features coming in on full display. Where his hair was once long and a soft shade of brown, it was now black and short. Where his cheeks were once smooth and round from his youth, it was now sharp and stubbly. Shaky hands trailed over the familiar chiseled face and ran through the short, dark hair he had teased his mentor relentlessly about.

"Oh, God. I really hope Dr. O doesn't kill me for kissing his girlfriend," Conner whispered breathlessly while staring at the 28 year old reflection of Tommy Oliver.

* * *

Author note: Hey there! I am SO excited to get this chapter out! I have been waiting for about six months to post this, lol. Sooo... yes, Connor is now inside Tommy's body! Strange, right? We will see what happened with the other Rangers next chapter and possibly what Tommy has to say about what Conner just did! This will definitely make things interesting. Hope you guys enjoyed. Guess Kimberly got her kiss with Tommy although it was/was not, lol. Anyway, let me know what you guys think in a review or PM! It always makes my day :) see you all in the next chapter!


	16. Chapter 16

Long evenings in the lab had quickly become Hayley's new normal, along with constantly worrying about her colorful team of spandex wearing rangers that seemed to never answer her calls. The minutes seemed to always drag on like hours when she was in the midst of a mental breakdown, but conveniently for her that was always the time the team loved to make their long awaited appearance. Still, every second that clocked ticked and the rangers hadn't arrived sent Hayley into a spiraling panic.

She wiped at the side of her head, collecting mild perspiration on the sleeve of her top. They'd been gone longer than they had originally planned, but she fully believed in them. They had never failed a mission before and she was sure that they wouldn't start now. A mild chill entered the room and that was her cue to either step back or be blinded by the invisiportal that was sure to appear.

"Thank goodness," she sighed as a powerful gust of wind crashed through the lab. In came the sweaty and bruised teenage rangers clutching their helmets at their side.

Hayley had sent them out to battle, so she wasn't terribly surprised by their ragged appearance but their lost expression had her a bit worried. The blue, white, and yellow ranger wore a near shocked expression while the red rangers face had turned a striking shade of white.

"A-are you guys okay," Hayley dared to ask.

Her words went unheard as the helmetless rangers continued to stumble deeper into the lab, finding an empty seat to throw themselves in.

The red ranger planted himself in Hayley's empty seat, walking directly in front of her to get across to the chair.

"Conner," Hayley tried but received no response in return.

The redhead moved cautiously to the lead ranger, waving a hand in front of his blank gaze.

"Conner," she tried again unsuccessfully.

His response was a slow blink.

"What the hell is going on with you guys?" Her hands slapped her hips in a surge of frustration as she gave the lab a quick glance. All the rangers seemed to have had the life sucked right out of them, their faces wiped of all color. "Will someone please start talking."

"I'ma... I'm a..." came in slurred whisper from the white ranger.

Hayley didn't waste any time bolting to the side of the only speaking ranger in the room.

She crouched to her teammates side, rubbing a soothing hand on their back, "Trent, what's happening?"

"I...I'ma... I'ma... a.." the white ranger continued with a bit of disgust now tainting their tone.

"A what," Hayley asked calmly.

The white ranger could barely hold in tears as they grumbled, "a dude."

The rage in the usually calm and collected redhead reached its boiling point. Unamused, she scoffed, "Thanks for sharing that with the class, Trent."

Rolling her eyes at the response, Hayley rose to her feet, ready to follow up with another ranger that wasn't stating idiotic facts.

"Hayley," the white rangers voice broke, causing her to stop. "I'm not Trent."

The words took a moment to register in Hayley's mind. She blinked rapidly for a few moments as if that would somehow make all of this make any sense. "What," came out in a near whisper.

She faced her olive skinned friend, taking a good hard look at the supposed imposter.

"I am," the blue ranger revealed.

The sudden jolt of her head from the blue to the white ranger nearly gave her whiplash. She let out a shaky breath before addressing the white ranger once more, "Ethan?"

Wrong.

"Over here." The yellow ranger lifted their hand in the air, waving it with little enthusiasm.

That would mean... "Oh, no. Kira?" Hayley turned to face the white ranger who was in near tears.

Hayley was at a loss for words. The generally vocal redhead was a completely perplexed as to how this was even remotely possible. But then it hit her... there was one ranger moping off to the side that had yet to speak.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say you're not Conner," she said calmly to the silent red ranger. "Tommy?"

He nodded, defeat visibly painting his face. "I don't know what happened. One minute I'm... well, me and then the next I'm... this," he motioned to his new body.

"Hey, you're lucky you're me. You could have been Ethan," Conner stated defensively as he walked into the lab. He was peeling the black spandex suit down to his waist, revealing a fitted t-shirt underneath matching his new ranger color.

Tommy eyed him curiously, finding it extremely eerie to see his body out and about.

"Have I always been this good looking," Conner smirked as he tousle the hair on his old body. Tommy swatted his hand away, still needing a moment to process what exactly was going on.

Conner, on the other hand, had already come to terms with his changing body. How could he not when just minutes ago he was tongue deep into Kimberly. That surprisingly made everything clear.

"Trust me, you aren't." Came jokingly from the blue ranger. Trent had also already come to terms with this new reality. He had already been thrown in a lot of strange situations in the short time he had been on the team. This was just another one to add to the list.

"Ethan?" Conner shot him a curious brow and received a head shake in return.

"Here," the yellow ranger sighed and Conner could no longer contain his fit of laughter. "Oh my god, you're Kira!"

"And what's wrong with being me, huh?" The white ranger huffed defensively.

"Oh man, this is too good," Conner continued, wearing a devilish smile, "So Ethan, what's it like being a chick?"

"Just because you're inside the body of my teacher doesn't mean that I won't kick your ass," Kira threatened with a quirked brow.

"I kindly object to that," Tommy spoke, "maybe you can wait until we find a way to switch back before you go all Sarah Connor on... well, Conner."

"Like she could anyway," Conner rolled his eyes. "I've taken Trent on before and I could do it again."

Kira huffed again, standing now a couple of inches taller than she was before. It was strange coming face to face with what looked like her mentor. "But you've never taken on me."

Conner smirked, "I don't hit girls."

"Lucky for you I'm not a girl today," Kira returned.

"Okay everyone, calm down." Hayley interjected to try and mediate the situation. "Kira, you obviously have a lot of testosterone running through your veins right now. Why don't you go sit down and cool off."

Kira sighed but nodded. She was feeling a little different, okay a lot different. It wasn't everyday you turn into a man.

"We have to figure out what's going on and fighting isn't going to help," Hayley told the group.

"Hayley's right," Trent stood. He took a quick glance down his torso, finding himself incredibly uncomfortable in the blue clothes he was now wearing. "Does anyone remember anything about what happened that could help us get back to our normal selves?"

"I remember feeling like my skin was melting off," Ethan added but wasn't sure if that was at all helpful.

"I think we can all agree that we felt that, right?" Conner said. "Did anyone see anything strange or out of the ordinary?"

"Stranger than reptile like things trying to kill us?" Kira mumbled.

"Yes, anything at all that you guys can remember," Hayley added and ignored the tone in the white rangers voice.

"I think I do." Tommy slowly made his way to the huddled team. "I thought I saw Zeltrax pull some kind of lever before he escaped with Mesogog and Elsa. I just remember placing Kimberly on the ground and seeing this bright light and feeling intense pain following that."

Hayley pondered on, trying to brainstorm with this new set of information coming in.

"And here I thought Mesogog was the real bad guy," Conner sighed.

Trent nodded, feeling a little guilty at knowing more information on Mesogog than he's let everyone know. "He is but Zeltrax is a close second."

The team fell into a short silence as they came to learn they seriously underestimated the cyborg.

"By the way, Conner," Tommy cleared his throat and moved closer to the black ranger, "How is Kimberly? Did she get to the hotel okay?"

Conner gulped, suddenly feeling very warm. He almost forgot what had happened with Kimberly just moments before.

"Yeah, man, you kind of took a long time to come back," Ethan added.

What can he actually say that won't leave him slightly bruised? Somehow getting his ass kicked by his own body hurt his ego just a bit more. I guess he did technically kiss Kimberly, but it was his mentors lips after all. Maybe that counts as a loophole somehow.

He had never even gone past second base with a girl. Kimberly had evoked a reaction out of him that was both foreign and uncomfortable. Especially when it came to the realization that he wasn't in his body but his teachers. Although Conners thoughts were all his own, there was the part of his mentors body that clearly hungered and lusted towards Kimberly.

He was sure Dr. Oliver would see the humor in it. On second thought... maybe it was better if he never actually revealed what happened with Kimberly at the hotel. It could just be a secret that could go with him to the grave

"She got there fine, Dr. O." It was the truth, but Tommy's eyes pressed for more.

"Really," Conner continued. "Stop worrying so much. You're gonna give me wrinkles." He smirked lightheartedly at the end and that somehow put Tommy at ease for the time being.

"Anyway, what are we going to do about this?" Ethan shuddered, motioning to his newfound bosoms. "We can't exactly go on living in each others bodies."

Kira already had a hard time grasping she was in Trent's body, but it didn't really sink in until that moment that Ethan was in hers. That suddenly made things way worse. "Any ideas on how we can fix this, Hayley... and I mean soon!"

"Nothing yet," Hayley sighed, shining a light into red rangers defeated eyes, "but I'll know more once I begin running some tests. For now I would just say to lay low."

"Fine by me," Ethan agreed. "I don't want to be seen in public. No offense Kira."

"Offense taken," the white ranger scoffed.

The team had settled into a simple understanding of laying low and had already gathered up some simple excuses as to what they would tell their parents since going home didn't really seem like the right option. The whole situation was just extremely awkward for them. Somewhere along the way they agreed they would cover for each other when the time came. Spring break came at the perfect time because having to actually live like their teammates seemed like a tragedy waiting to happen.

Off to the side of the team was the blue ranger who was lost in his thoughts, exhaling deep meditated breaths. His cheeks trembled as he began to pick up his breathing, adding short grunts in between each breath. His teeth chattered, the air from his nose blowing stronger and stronger.

"What the hell are you doing?" Conner finally asked.

Everyone was thinking it.

Trent's trance was broken at the sound of the voice. His eyes were met with questioning glares from his scattered teammates. He hadn't realized he was being so loud.

"Trying to harden my skin," Trent answered simply, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Like you're severely constipated," Conner crossed his arms, shaking his head at the blue ranger, "stop that."

Genius. How had Hayley not thought of that before?

"No, no, no, this is good," Hayley told him. "Trent, keep trying."

Trent half smirked, suddenly feeling self conscious at the praise.

"Look, guys," Hayley walked closer to the teens, "I'm in way over my head right now, and you're obviously not going to turn back into your normal selves now. You guys _have_ to practice your active powers."

Although now dressed in black, Conner still considered himself the leader. He usually always took Hayley's advice when it came to the technological aspects of a mission, but the training was usually all him. Her suggestion left him slightly confused. They've trained and mastered their technique.

"Practice for what?"

"What do you mean for what?" Hayley countered, narrowed eyes meeting his. "What if reefside gets attacked?"

Simple answer. "Well then we'd just fight like we always d— oh, now I get it."

 _Duh_. It had just occurred to him that his powers hadn't traveled with him. This should be fun.

"We don't know how long we're going to be stuck like this and that makes us and Reefside extremely vulnerable. Maybe practicing wouldn't be so bad." Tommy at this point thought about just adding this little mix-up to his endless list of ranger colors he'd wear in his strange lifetime. What's one more?

"I guess it's worth a shot," the yellow ranger shrugged.

"Just remember that everyone's powers are usually triggered by different things," Hayley felt the need to add. "Work together to unlock that."

The rangers nodded as they huddled into two separate groups, Tommy and Conner taking one side and Ethan, Trent, and Kira taking the other.

Trent resumed his previous mediation, focusing all of his energy into getting that rock like skin the blue ranger was known for. His eyes slipped close to better concentrate on activating his powers.

He grunted with determination, the veins on the side of his neck bulging with every strained breath. "Anything happening," Trent asked, one eyelid flipping open to glance at his teammates.

" _Nada_ ," Kira sighed.

Trent released his breath in defeat, relaxing his body, "What am I doing wrong?"

"Well, I usually get angry," Ethan suggested with a shrug, "It kind of happens when I need it to the most. Just think of something that makes you upset."

Upset? Trent had a lot to be upset about. His thoughts were tainted by images of Mesogog and Zeltrax murdering countless innocent people. The memory of catching his father transform over and over again. How he was possessed by the white rangers powers and hurt Ethan, Conner, Dr. Oliver, and Kira. Even the burden of having to carry around his fathers secret infuriated him.

The rage in him had enough fuel to burn for eternity. The heat crawled through his skin, hardening the outer shell as it made its way up his legs and onto his arms, the sound like glass cracking.

"Hey," Kira smiled, "it worked!"

"Nice work!" Ethan patted the blue ranger on the back and found the moment wickedly strange. "What did you think of?"

Trent waved him off. "Eh, nothing important."

Ethan shrugged, satisfied with his short answer.

"Okay, me next," Kira jumped up, eager to get these new powers rolling. "How do I camouflage myself?"

"I like to relax," Trent told her. "Just clear your mind. Think about your surroundings and just set yourself free."

Kira nodded. Sounds easy enough.

She released a few deep exhales, trying to reach a point of nirvana. The exercise worked mentally, but she didn't feel herself experience anything physically. "Anything?"

The white ranger appeared as opaque as ever.

Ethan shook his head, "No, sorry."

Trent didn't allow for Kira to be defeated and encouraged her to continue. "It's okay.. Just keep trying."

The white ranger nodded. She didn't want to let him down.

"Okay, Dr. O. How do I do this thing?" Conner jumped a few times in place, shaking his hands and kicking his legs to pump himself up.

Although a strange occurrence that he was sure wasn't an accident, it was pretty interesting getting the opportunity to experience life through someone else's eyes. He'd always had a bit of a strained relationship with his mentor, but he was sure that this would make them appreciate each other more.

Tommy stood behind conner for support, gently placing his hands on the shoulders of the black ranger. He'd coached kids before. This shouldn't be too difficult.

"Don't think about it too hard." Tommy told him as Conner worked to crack some of the built in tension around his neck. "Imagine yourself as more of an observer. Slowly lingering around."

Conner exhaled deeply, calmly taking in the images around him. Slowly he was falling into a purposeful place of mental obscurity.

Tommy's lips turned up as he watched the black ranger begin to fade. "Keep going!"

Conner used this encouragement as fuel to continue. He didn't feel physically different, so he wasn't entirely sure if he was doing things right. "Did it work?"

Tommy grinned widely as the black rangers voice broke through the air. He was gone, completely invisible to the human eye. "Yeah!"

"Really?" Conner couldn't believe it himself. He glanced down to his body and found nothing there. turning to his teammates off to the side, Conner beamed, "I did it guys!"

"Joy," Ethan smiled, before lowering his voice, "Now if only he could just stay invisible."

He was met with a paper ball to the head from Conner and a few laughs from his peers.

Turning back to his visible form, the black ranger addressed Tommy.

"Okay Dr. O," Conner cracked his knuckles as he prepared to instruct the red ranger on what to do. "Run from one side of the lab to the other."

Tommy nodded, doing a few short jumps in place to get his heart rate accelerated before beginning the rigorous training. His speed was steady in the beginning as he jogged back and forth between walls. He'd touch one of the large smooth pillars in the lab before bolting at the other one. Not much change was happening and the red ranger was beginning to tire.

"Just think slow," Conner told him. He'd forgotten a key piece in triggering his powers wasn't about physicality.

"That explains it," the yellow ranger snorted. A series of broken laughs followed his comment from the white and blue ranger.

The black ranger ignored their little comment as he maintained his focus on Tommy.

Hayley rolled her eyes to keep from laughing. She had to remind herself she was too mature for that.

"Shut up," Kira stifled a giggle behind her hand before she gently swatted Ethan and commanded him to begin his training.

Back with Tommy and Conner, The Black ranger had been hard at work teaching his mentor.

"Remember that it's not about how fast you are, but that everything around you slows down. Think with your head and not your legs."

This new set of information was all Tommy needed to hear. The red ranger nodded. Now more determined than before.

Tommy had been in the game long enough that receiving and controlling a new set of powers wasn't too difficult of a task to accomplish. Sure it could take a little practice getting there, but there wasn't a power he hadn't been able to capture. Tommy had always found that it was never how strong you were physically, but how mentally capable you were. You had to be strong in both body and mind. It was something he was sure to teach Conner right when he became the red ranger and it was now something He was being reminded of from the same student.

"Let the adrenaline be your fuel," Conner continued. He knew there wasn't much he could teach Tommy about being a power ranger since he had been talking to one of the oldest and most decorated ranger in history, but he'd hope he'd be able to show him a thing or two.

Of course Tommy was a fast learner. Not even a full five minutes had gone by and the red ranger was already moving at super sonic speed. Tommy found traveling at this speed was a lot different that he originally imagined. For one, he didn't feel like he had was moving quickly. In fact, the only reason he had realized he had actually tapped into the red rangers powers was because it appeared he had stepped into a still portrait. As he looked around the lab, his teammates were frozen to his eyes. His speed was too fast for it to register in his mind. A mere second felt like minutes for him as he moved at this rapid speed. It was actually a pretty useful power.

Seeing the blurred image of the red ranger moving back and forth across the lab was all the proof Conner needed to confirm that Tommy had connected with his powers. "Awesome job, Dr. O!"

They celebrated with a gentle pat to the back before moving over to the other rangers who were still trying to tap into their powers.

"Ah."

"' _Ah_?' Ethan what was that? That was weak. That wasn't even a scream. It was you talking louder than usual." The white ranger had spent nearly 10 minutes trying to get more out of Ethan, but his lack of effort was becoming infuriating.

Ethan tried again, his voice releasing a monotonous, "Ahh?"

The white rangers face fell, "That's not a pterascream.. that's not even a yell."

"I'm a guy," Ethan huffed, the tone in his voice raising pitch. "I don't scream."

"Have you heard yourself speak?" Conner threw him a smug smile, "You sound just like Kira... you're a chick."

Oddly enough, Kira's usual death glare looked even deadlier with Trent's face. He knew when he'd gone too far with the teasing. Neither ranger was in the mood for his quips.

Putting his palms out to the offended white ranger, Conner retracted his last statement. "Fine, a girl. Either way you're not a dude anymore."

Kira shook her head at his idiocy. Conner was annoying in any body he possessed. Turning her attention back to the yellow ranger, Kira sighed, "Ethan you have to try."

Ethan was, but there was just something in him that wasn't letting him get control. He was tired and annoyed at his inability to gain access to the Ptera Powers.

"Ahhh."

"No!" Kira's frustration was reaching its peak. She'd tried, but with Ethan's lack of enthusiasm it was becoming harder to be supportive.

" _Ahhhhhhhh_ ," she let out. The voice of the white ranger cracked a bit, proving that a man could indeed scream loud enough, but she forged on, "Now you."

"Ahh?"

"This is hopeless," Kira threw her hands up, giving in to defeat.

She slumped into a nearby seat, her chin resting on the palms of her hands.

Hayley's hands came to rest on her hip as she came up with a possible solution to help out Ethan connect with his new powers.

"Kira," the redhead called out to the white ranger, "What triggers your Pterascream?"

This wasn't something that Kira had really wanted to share. She'd always liked to give the illusion that she was stronger and tougher than she was. Having to say that the only thing that triggers her powers is being afraid left her a little ashamed. Everyone seemed to have a trigger that had some form power behind it and hers left her feeling less than. Nevertheless, if it would finally get Ethan to use his new powers then she was willing to share her secret.

"Honestly?" Kira ducked her head, "Fear. I get scared."

She looked around to her peers, expecting some form of negative reaction, but she received nothing but understanding. It was worse in her head.

"Well there's my problem!" Ethan rolled his eyes, almost like he'd had some form of Epiphany, "I don't get scared, I get mad."

"Come on, man," Trent patted his back. "You must get scared at times."

"Nope," Ethan crossed his arms, his nose lifted up high in the air.

Tommy turned to Conner, his brows raised, "Maybe he needs a little motivation."

Tommy was met by an acknowledging wink from Conner. He moved to a small table behind Trent, grabbing the open blue backpack with gadgets spilling out of it. "This his backpack," Conner asked as he held up the bag.

The yellow ranger bolted to his side, trying to grab the contents from the black rangers hands. "Whoa, what are you doing?"

Conner held the items high above his head and out of reach of the smaller yellow ranger.

"Giving you a little motivation," Conner gave a cheeky grin.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Conner that's a DLX3000 laptop that my parents got me for Christmas. If anything happens to it they'll kill me and I'll kill you. Please be careful with it."

"Why? Does it scare you when I do— this?" Conner threw the fragile item in the air, nearly making Ethan throw up on the spot.

"Conner," Tommy rolled his eyes, but his call went ignored. Although this was slightly entertaining, he didn't like that it appeared to be him playing keep away with Ethan's stuff. It was a strange new reality. He didn't exactly mean threaten to break Ethan's most prized possession to get a reaction out of him.

The yellow ranger lunged forward, trying to take back his beloved laptop, but Conner dodged his advances.

"Very funny," Ethan said flatly. "Give it up, Conner."

The black ranger ignored his friend and continued his little performance. "What about when I do this?" He said once again throwing the item high above him, but this time almost letting it reach the floor.

Ethan exhaled a shaky breath, relieved that his item was caught.

Conner smiled wickedly, "What about if I throw it to... let's say— Trent!"

The laptop flew across the air and over Ethan before landing in Trent's hands. The blue ranger held it for just a breath before the yellow ranger made his advances towards him.

"Guys," Hayley warned.

"Or how about— Kira!" Trent laughed as he threw the delicate item across the air to the white ranger.

The white ranger snorted a laughter as she caught the laptop before throwing it back to Conner.

"Guys!" Tommy and Hayley both tried as they saw the fear and agitation grow in the yellow rangers face.

Conner was ready to give it up now that it appeared that his little game didn't work aside from nearly giving the yellow ranger a heart attack.

His grip on the flat electronic had loosened from all the laughter, causing a slight imbalance in his hand.

Conners arm extended towards the yellow ranger, finally returning the object to its rightful owner, "Alright, alright, I'll give it to yo—" The Black Ranger cringed as the item slipped out of his grasp, his hands then balling into fists to the side of his head in a panic. "Oops."

All that Ethan could hear was the sound of his screen shattering over the stone floor of the lab, shards of glass spewing in all directions.

He couldn't even control himself long enough to think straight before he let out a Ptera scream that Kira was almost envious of.

" _Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_ "

The power of the scream had the rangers kneeling over in agony, each clutching their hands to their ears trying to mute the sound. The lab shook from the aftershock of the scream, sending debris flying in all directions.

"Ugh," Hayley winced, covering her ears from the power of the scream. "Maybe practicing in the lab wasn't the best idea."

"Ow..." Kira hissed, finally feeling what everyone else felt when she was the one delivering the pain.

Ethan's eyes were nearly bulging out of its sockets as he zeroed in on the black ranger.

"I'm so sorry," Conner spat out, his hands out defensively. "But on the bright side... at least it worked."

The next seconds were a blur as Ethan moved to tackle Conner.

"I'll kill you," Ethan grunted.

The remaining rangers rushed to break apart the yellow and black ranger. Although Ethan was now a lot smaller than he used to be as he possessed Kira's form, it made him a lot quicker and agile. Conner was nearly the same size as his mentor so it wasn't a drastic difference, but there was a huge ache in his chest from where Tommy had gotten injured a few battles prior. Ethan hadn't forgotten and was purposely using Kira's shoe to reach the sore spot.

Watching this all unfold from the base of the stairs was Kimberly Hart. Her right brow slightly raised as she consumed all of this new information that was being thrown her way. She had slipped into Tommy's home unnoticed, finally catching all the rangers with nothing to hide behind.

Hayley was the first to take notice of the new company. She quickly nudged Tommy who was working to keep Ethan from attacking Conner.

Kimberly's lip became sandwiched between her teeth as she tried to make sense of the strange vision of Kira trying to strangle who appeared to be Tommy.

Tommy stepped forward, leaving his team to slowly break apart once they realized they weren't alone anymore.

"Kim," he whispered.

She gulped, staring at the five helmetless rangers. "Well now I've seen everything."

* * *

 **Author** **Note** : Hey there! Wow, it's been a LOT longer than I initially intended for it to be. My personal life has just gotten a lot more hectic and it's truly been tough trying to find the time to write like I used to. I hope you guys enjoyed this new chapter. I might be a bit rusty since I did take a 7 month hiatus. Anyway, there's more story to come and I just wanted to let you guys know that I did not and will not give up on this story. I will finish this but it might take me a little longer than I originally planned. This was my first time trying to work in the rangers in foreign bodies. I hope it wasn't confusing for you. I'm still working on getting the wording better! Rereading the previous chapter might be helpful since I know it's been a while. Anyway, definitely let me know what you guys think in the review section or go ahead and send me a PM! I always love hearing what you guys think. And especially now since it's been so long! We will get to see what Tommy thinks of Conners wandering lips eventually. Lol.


	17. Chapter 17

"Did it work?" Elsa's raspy voice cut through the destroyed lab deep within Mesogog's Island Fortress.

The rangers had left not long ago and it was finally time to return to see what the full extent of the damage was. Elsa walked carefully behind her master, stepping over the ash, brittle bones, and charred remains that the Tyrannodrones left behind. The over head pendant lights swung back and forth, flickering across the cracked concrete walls that still sizzled.

Her nose wrinkled at the sight. The room was completely destroyed, only fragments of the old laboratory remaining familiar. The lingering pungent smell from a broken pipe was becoming stronger the longer she stayed in the room, consuming all the breathable air. She wiped at her lips with her sleeve, suppressing a cough caused by all the fumes.

Zeltrax's machine had created a cloud of smoke that engulfed the quant room. The series of bright beams that shot out of it had destroyed everything in its path. Unfortunately for the Tyrannodrones, their skin was too thin to withstand the heat and they dissolved into stained shadows on the ground, only serving as a memory of what they used to be. The cyborg was aware that the rangers protective suit could prohibit them from meeting the same fate and he wasn't entirely sure if his machine would do anything to the rangers at all, but when the red ranger couldn't do anything besides stand in disgusted defeat, he knew his machine had done its job.

"Of course it worked," Zeltrax hissed. "My inventions always work."

He stopped before his switch laser, listening to it clank and buzz sporadically as it fought to survive. It had some wear, but still semi functional. Only a few minor adjustments needed to be made before it could be once again fully operational.

"Excellent." She smiled wickedly, a subtle laugh escaping her. "Can we kill them now?"

The cyborg nodded, just as enthusiastic in tone as she was, "Yes—"

"No," Mesogog roared. He'd been silent up until that point taking in the visual destruction of his lab. His hands were clasped together behind his back, surveying the room.

Pesky flies piloted around the corpses of his minions like fighter jets, swarming the blazing room. The small fires sprinkled around the room crackled, giving a glimpse of the battle.

He spun around to meet his allies, lowly huffing as he neared them. The remains of the Tyrannodrones crunched into dust beneath his large feet with every step he took. "I need my Dino Gems first or have you two gotten so wrapped up in your own personal vengeance that you've forgotten the real mission?"

He viscously growled at them, threatening them to challenge his orders. His glowing yellow eyes grew more menacing as he stared deeper into Elsa and Zeltrax.

The henchwoman rolled her eyes, twirling a long lock of black hair around her finger.

"How are we supposed to do that?" She sighed, exasperated. "I doubt that they're very willing to just hand them over."

"The boy," Mesogog told them.

Elsa stared at her master intently, her brows furrowed as she digested his words. The boy?

It didn't take much longer before she realized just who she was referring to. The child had always been a soft spot for Mesogog, even if he refused to acknowledge it. There was no doubt in her mind that there was a part of her master that was disappointed that the white ranger didn't join his side.

"Ahh, you mean your son?" She nodded, a light smirk creeping up her lips.

The reptilian beast scowled as he rushed to grab the petite woman by the arms. His sharp claws dug into her sensitive skin, drawing a few drops of blood. He snarled, "He is no son of mine."

He shook Elsa vigorously, trying to embed that information into her head. It was a slip up she'd better never make again. He was Anton Mercer's son, not Mesogog's.

"Do I need to remind you who I am?" He sneered. "Anton Mercer is inside me, rotting away until the very stench of his decaying body leaves me completely mad. You will never see him again. Is that clear?"

That was something that she still has yet to forgive Zeltrax for. His little potion did more damage than they had originally anticipated and as far as they knew Mesogog was stuck in his reptile form. They'd tried unsuccessfully to switch him back into Mayor Abrams, and even a few attempts to Anton Mercer, but nothing worked. She wasn't sure how much longer he would stay in this form, but every minute he stayed as this he became increasingly more powerful. And even that much harder to wrangle in.

Elsa swallowed the aching pain coming from her arms as she nodded in acknowledgment to her master. Her short legs were dangled a few inches off the ground before he flung her across the room and onto a concrete wall.

There was a rainbow of beakers that had remained untouched from the fight with the rangers that shattered when her body made contact with them.

She quietly groaned as she got on all fours, gently brushing the shards from her right shoulder while Mesogog watched her with hooded eyes.

There was an anger there, a beast hiding behind striking eyes that wasn't afraid to tear down anyone that spoke up.

Zeltrax shot Elsa a nod, reminding her of the conversation they had had earlier. When she refused to take his side and form a plan of getting rid of Mesogog for good. She had yet to come up with a decision, but with the constant way Mesogog was treating her, Zeltrax's offer was beginning to sound more appealing.

Elsa was a strong woman, one that never backed down from a challenge and one that did what had to be done no matter the cost. It wasn't typical that she would allow this treatment of her. Had it been anyone else she would have slit their throat before they even thought about touching her, but she just couldn't with him. She knew there was too much history there, and although she didn't exactly fear Mesogog, she feared what she would do to the man inside. The one that she was doing this for. The one that her human heart still clung on to.

She was doing all of this for her Dear Friend, Anton Mercer, but if he wasn't going to return at all then maybe there was no point in following Mesogog's lead.

"The boy will come to us when he has no other choice," Mesogog continued, his abnormally large hands returning to their place behind his back.

"And how will he do that?" Elsa grunted as she came to her feet. The fire in her right shoulder grew when she took a quick glance at it and saw chunky shards pricking her skin.

She winced at the sight before Mesogog neared her and his height blocked out all the light. He prodded her oozing skin with his sharp claw, receiving a low growl from her in return.

"He knows how."

* * *

The last thing Kimberly expected when breaking into Tommy's house was to find the basement full of spandex wearing rangers without their helmet and a redheaded cafe owner breaking up a fight. She'd seen Hayley nudge an agitated Conner from the fight between Kira and Tommy, another strange sight that she couldn't exactly put her finger on.

There was something off about walking into a prehistoric looking basement that also had modern elements. Those two normally don't go together, but they surprisingly worked in this lab.

She took a final step off the stairs, calmly coming to meet the helmetless rangers. There were words she wanted to say, but none had seem to come to mind at the moment, nothing that fit the situation. "Well now I've seen everything."

It wasn't so much that she was surprised, but more so satisfied that she had finally put a face to the big question mark that were the rangers. They had all broken apart, now just a few inches away from each other. The black ranger stood in the middle and he was the one that held Kimberly's attention.

"Kim," the red ranger tried, but the petite brunette simply walked past him. Not knowing that he was actually the one she had been trying to reach all along.

Tommy tried again, but this time reaching out and gently grabbing onto her hand. "What are you doing here?"

Her gaze dropped to their fused hand and she felt a sudden pull to the red ranger. Something she hadn't felt at all since she'd been at Reefside, and something that made her extremely uncomfortable. She lifted her eyes to meet his and found a familiarity there that almost had her questioning everything.

She gulped as she gently disentangled herself from his grasp, "I heard screaming."

She shook her head trying to understand what it was that possessed her to break into Tommy's house. Kimberly had always done her best to respect others privacy, but that was something that went out the window when she heard that blood curdling scream. She didn't even know if such a yelp was even possible, especially coming from such a tiny thing like Kira, but her ears weren't deceiving her. As it turns out it had been them practicing something that Kimberly was not very used to, as she had never possessed any powers when not in her pink ranger suit.

Tommy watched her intently, his brain not understanding why she was being so calm. Why all of this didn't seem like such a big deal to her, why it seemed like this wasn't news to her.

The red ranger stepped forward, his head angling towards her as he asked, "Why aren't you more upset about this?"

"Why would I?" Kimberly half chuckled. "I think I know well enough that you don't pick your powers, they pick you, Conner."

 _Yikes_. The black ranger could feel the heat in his cheeks burn into a striking shade of crimson.

"Oh, man." The red ranger ran a stressed hand down his face. He'd almost forgotten he wasn't himself with Kimberly's surprise entrance.

"Kim," Hayley spoke softly, meeting Kimberly with a weak smile. "There's something else you need to know."

There's more? What else could there possibly be? Finding out that the people you've been associating yourself the last week with are the same people you've been trying to track down is already pretty big news. It was one thing when she realized that Tommy was the black ranger, but now finding out that Conner, Kira, Trent, and Ethan were too was becoming a lot. She still needed some time to process all of this.

"Okay?"

Tommy swallowed thickly before releasing a shaky, "I'm not Conner."

 _Oh no_. The black ranger sent a silent prayer up above when the words fled his mentors lips. He was gone, dead and buried. Sure he knew that he wasn't going to be able to keep his wandering lips thing a secret, but he'd at least hoped he'd get a few days to come up with some excuse that wouldn't get him murdered.

"Hate to break it to ya, but they're not who you think they are either," Hayley added.

The yellow, blue, and white ranger all shared their disappointment, but the black ranger couldn't even throw a glance towards Kimberly.

"Ethan," the yellow ranger held his hand up.

The blue ranger gave a failed attempt at a smile, "Trent."

"Kira," the white ranger managed to spit out. It was a harsh pill to swallow, and even hearing herself say it had her nearly throwing up in her mouth.

Slowly her head had moved down the aisle of rangers confessing their identity until her attention fell to the silent black ranger that was unsuccessfully trying to hide behind Kira. Conners head was dipped as he tried his best to avoid Kimberly's bewildered gaze.

The rangers side eyed each other as they awaited for their leader to speak, but the black ranger didn't give anything. The silence in the room grew exponentially before a gentle shove from Kira to Conner brought him back to this painful reality.

With a pleading glare from Tommy, Conner finally spoke, "Alright, alright, I'm not Dr. O, Tommy— _whatever_. Sorry."

Kim couldn't do anything other than continuously open and close her mouth. She struggled to form a sentence, a proper thought, or anything that wasn't exactly word vomit, but everything came crashing back to her when all she could picture was the incident in her hotel room.

"Tommy..." she said, pointing towards the red ranger, and she received a defeated nod in return. She swallowed thickly before turning to the black ranger. "Conner... Is that right?"

The black ranger buried his hands in his pockets and gave a simple nod.

He cringed as the glare on Kimberly's face morphed from surprise to raging anger. His head sank into his shoulders as he noted he was the sole recipient.

What was there to say? There was nothing he _could_ say that would make things better. A simple apology was a start, but he knew he had dug himself into a hole that was too deep to get out of.

She might need to sit down for this. Kimberly could feel her legs slowly wanting to betray her, but she forged on. "Have you guys always been like this?"

"No," Tommy sighed, "this just happened."

 _Relief_. Wow, for a second she thought he meant that he'd been Conner this whole time. That would have been tragic. "So at the hotel, that was still you?"

Conner was stiff, his eyes spread wide as he frantically shook his head towards his mentor. It was his way of trying to communicate with the red ranger, but Tommy wasn't able to understand the signals. He narrowed his eyes towards Conner before saying, "No, That was Conner."

Kimberly's brow quirked up as she watched Conner face palm himself harder than he ever had before. "Oh, was it now?"

The black ranger sighed deeply, knowing that Kimberly was just about to unleash her wrath. There wasn't a word he could say to change her mind. At this point he wasn't sure exactly who he was more nervous to face; Kimberly or Dr. O. If seeing how they were during a battle was any indication then he knew he wasn't going to get off the hook that easily.

Kimberly lips parted as the memory of the hotel room came trickling back in. The helmet, the kiss, the bed. She could just punch something and there was no better punching bag to get her anger out than the object of her anger. Nothing could stop Kimberly from shoving her dainty hand onto the black rangers bandaged chest.

" _Ahhhhhh_ ," Conner yelped, the pulsing pain in his chest crying out for mercy. His hand moved to his sore wound, clutching it in agony. "What the hell, lady?"

Tommy jolted forward, unsure of what the hell just happened or why Kimberly even did what she did in the first place. The other rangers and Hayley gave each other similar gazes of confusion. They were just as lost as everyone else in the room, that is everyone except Conner.

"Do you want to tell him or should I?" Kimberly crossed her arms, showing dominance over the black ranger the only was she could.

Conner cringed, half chuckling to hide the panic in his voice, "You know, I don't think either one of us should say a damn thing!"

That wasn't good enough for the former pink ranger, and she gave him another equally hard shove into the white patched spot on his chest.

" _Owwww!_ " Conner groaned, the second shove bringing him down to his knees. He held up a hand in defense. "Will you stop doing that?"

"Tell him!" She demanded from him. "Or this time I'll actually do it hard."

Conner could only concentrate on the radiating heat coming from his bruised and aching chest, everything else was drowned out by the pain.

Tommy watched Conner and Kim argue back and forth before finally saying, "Tell me what?"

Kimberly gave Conner one last chance to speak up, but all he did was give her a similar wide eyed gaze and a frantic shake of his head that he had given Tommy earlier. If she said something then he knew he was dead meat.

She didn't sympathize with him one bit and with a twitch of her brow, she revealed, "Conner kissed me back at the hotel."

 _Numb_. There was only one thing tommy was feeling, not anger, not disappointment, but numb. Almost a nothingness. The world around him slowed into this still image where the only sound was the drumming of his heart in his ears.

The black ranger stood in front of him, the cringe in his face frozen while Kimberly held her arms crossed before him. All tommy could do was look between her and his imposter. He held his breath while the heat and rolling mumbles of everyone else in the room came rushing back in like a straining headache. It was then that it really hit him.

"What?" Tommy released in a near growl. He turned to Hayley to see if she was just as confused as he was. She shrugged at the absurdity of it all before running a frustrated hand down her face. She'd had enough of constantly dealing with teenagers too.

The rangers were a mix of horrified and amused. It was a flicker of entertainment in what was turning out to be a horrible day.

Conner flailed his hands in front of Kimberly, trying to justify his actions. "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa," he spat out. "First of all, you kissed me first."

Now Tommy was really confused. His brows raised before his gaze shot from Conner to Kimberly.

"What?" He shook his head, trying to wrap his head around why she would do that.

Kimberly ignored Tommy's curious plea and continued her back and forth with Conner, "Yeah, well, you kissed me back."

Conner wasn't going to go down without a valiant fight. If he was going to get murdered, and by the look on Tommy's anger growing face he was, then he was going to lay everything out in the open.

"I stopped it before you started taking off my clothes, didn't I?" Conner scoffed and that garnered some snorted laughs and face palms from his peers.

"What!"

That's all tommy could keep saying as there was no word in the English language that could even come close to describing how he was feeling. The confusion had shifted into this raging anger that he wasn't able to control anymore. How was it possible that Conner had his kiss with Kimberly? It was supposed to be him, but It was so much more than the kiss. It was the frustration of what happened with Mesogog, how it took him so long to finally confess everything to Kimberly, how his life had turned upside down in such a short week. Everything had culminated into this giant ball of suck.

"Did I just walk into the twilight zone?" Kira mumbled as she got a collection of shrugs and nods from Trent, Ethan, and Hayley.

Kimberly's teeth were grinding behind a viscous scowl. Her hands had balled into fists as she fought to control her conflicting emotions. She'd loved to beat his face in, but then again, it was hard to be angry at someone that looked exactly like tommy.

"Permission to punch him in the face?" She addressed to the red ranger.

Tommy was in a similar position, except he didn't care. He gave her a simple nod, "Yeah, just let me get a few in first."

The teen rangers winced and released half chuckles as Tommy dug his fingers into the black rangers bandaged chest. Conners loud Yelp came out more like a growl the harder Tommy pushed into his body.

" _Aaahhooooowwwww!_ This is your body, dude!" Conner spat out while clutching his chest.

There was no doubt in Tommy's mind that he'd be feeling that later, but that wasn't important at the moment. "Yeah, well, I'll happily deal with the aftermath."

Hayley had been quietly observing off to the side of the team. In one part trying to asses the situation and in the other just completely absorbed in this mess. Now that things had started to turn slightly physical, she knew it was time to step in. After all, Conner was a child— err, technically anyway. Besides, she knew that she'd find a way to get them back to their normal selves and she didn't exactly want tommy to have to deal with the painful consequences to his already aching chest.

"Okay, okay! Corners please! I think that we can all agree that what Conner did was disgusting, unforgivable, and just wrong, but we have to remember that he is still a minor—"

"Thank you," the black ranger sighed in relief.

"and a dumbass," Hayley added and received a resentful scoff from Conner. She continued, "I think it would only be right to let his peers do the ass kicking, but that wouldn't really be fair to Tommy. So let's wait until he's back to his normal self before you murder him. Sound good?"

 _Oy vey_. Kimberly couldn't be more glad that the conversation had come to an end. Having this conversation about who kissed who was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. The topic came up from the heat of the moment, but now that some time had passed and the anger had subsided it became clear that it was a bad idea.

It didn't take much for the black ranger to become offended, and Hayley's words certainly did that. "Whoa, Hayley, whose side are you on?"

Hayley lifted her brows. It wasn't like she would sympathize with Conner one bit. "Not yours, bud."

"In my defense... I didn't know that you knew that the black ranger was Dr. O, okay? I was under the impression that he hadn't told you yet." Conner tried his best to bring the tension in the room to only modestly painful, and to his surprise it worked.

"I didn't," Tommy answered at the news. He turned to Kimberly who was in the middle of chewing on her lip. "Wait.. you knew?"

Six pairs of eyes were pinned on her that moment. It'd been a while, but Kimberly felt slightly self conscious at the sight. They were desperate for answers, one familiar pair more so than the others. They had questions, but so did she.

Kimberly shook her head, knowing that her next words would give the rangers a mini heart attack. "Cassidy and Devin."

"So they know too?"

So much for keeping the secret. Conner knew once those two got wind of this revelation then they would be the big news when they went back to Reefside High.

"No, just me," Kimberly reassured them. She turned to the red ranger, "They caught the black ranger morphing on camera. That's what I was watching before the Tyrannodrones caught me outside the hospital."

Tommy mentally kicked himself. It never occurred to him that he was being filmed. The alcohol in his system had impaired his better judgment, and add the fact that the rise in technology was becoming more readily available, he should have been more careful.

His eyes fell in defeat and the room fell into deep silence. Trying to hide their identities from the prying eyes of the public was no easy task. They'd had slip ups before, but nothing of this magnitude. Kira shook her head as this was all becoming too much and went off to sit down away from the team on the floor.

The rest of the rangers scattered too, but stuck relatively nearby.

"Speaking of..." Hayley cleared her throat to break the silence, "Mind if I check you out a little bit? I just want to make sure you're okay."

She beckoned Kimberly to the gurney in the middle of the room and the former pink ranger gratefully obliged.

Hayley wasn't that knowledgeable in the medical field, but she knew enough that she could run some tests in the lab and treat minor wounds.

Tommy helped Kimberly up to the gurney, careful to not do anything that might cause her some discomfort. He still wasn't sure if she was hurt or not. The red ranger stepped back, allowing Hayley to place a blood pressure cuff around Kimberly's upper arm and pump the bulb.

Hayley sent a nod to Kimberly when the readings came back normal and continued with her next test.

"So you haven't know about this very long?" Hayley asked as she shined a light in Kimberly's eye.

"No, but I can't say I'm surprised."

If anything she was relieved. She could finally stop trying to hunt the rangers down. Her article seemed unimportant now that she was actually involved, and the public's perception of everyone was more wrong that she could have imagined. She'd seen them fight in action while they all hid like cowards behind walls. They were brave, selfless, and dealing with more crap than any of them could have imagined.

"Ow," Kimberly winced when the redhead drew a drop of blood from her unsuspecting finger.

"Sorry," Hayley grimaced.

Her tests were nearly complete when a flash of red by Kimberly's ankles caught her attention. She lifted the length of Kimberly's jeans up to reveal a series of scratches running down her legs. She was more surprised that the petite brunette wasn't complaining at the claw marks as they'd nearly made her take a step back.

Kimberly lifted her brows in surprise, almost forgetting with all of the excitement from the rangers. Tommy suppressed a growl as he gently rubbed Kimberly's injured leg.

It had taken everything in him to not get Kira to open the portal back up so he could get his hands around Mesogog's neck.

"Hey, Hayley," the yellow ranger made his way to the busy redhead. "How about running some of those tests on us."

"In a minute. I have to finish this first," She waved him off. She dabbed a simple mixture to Kimberly's wounds, clearing them of any bacteria that may have made their way inside there. "Who knows what they could have done to her."

"The faster I get out of this damn body, the better," Ethan murmured with a heavy sigh.

"You guys will be fine," Kimberly reassured. "I'm sure you've been through worse and you _will_ go through worse. It just comes with the territory. I mean, I was turned into a guy once before."

That revelation had everyone's ears twist in her direction. Hayley shot her the wildest of eyes. Kimberly smiled sheepishly at their reactions before giving Hayley a polite _thank you_ for her services.

Why did that sound familiar to Tommy? He vaguely remembered hearing a story about an experiment with Billy gone horribly wrong. It was something that Jason said in passing when Tommy couldn't stop talking about his first kiss with Kimberly. He couldn't recall what exactly Jason said, but it was something to do with him being glad Kimberly was no longer a guy. The thought of that was a little off putting and it definitely shut the former green ranger up.

"Billy?" Tommy asked and received a nod from Kimberly in return.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Conner had turned into a sickly shade of green. He could officially mark kissing a former guy off his bucket list.

Ethan chuckled, patting his team leader a little harder in the back than he should of. He was still upset about his laptop after all.

"I switched with one of my old teammates before. It sucked, but it brought us closer. Got us to understand each other a little bit more. We're okay now and you guys will too."

"Maybe you can give Kira that little talk?" Tommy motioned to the slumped white ranger off in the corner. "I think she's taking it harder than the rest of us."

A simple glance in Kira's direction and Kimberly knew that was evident. She didn't know much about Kira, but Kim always had this natural ability to talk to people. She wasn't sure what she could talk to the former yellow ranger about, but anything was a start.

Kimberly quietly excused herself before she made her way to Kira. She gave the red ranger a simple smile, leaving things there for now.

There was still so much left unspoken between the two of them. So much they both wanted to say, but couldn't at the moment. It didn't feel right to have this conversation right that moment with so many people around. This was something that had to be done in private. And although it killed both of them, they knew they had to wait.

"Kim?" Tommy called out after her. She turned to face him, knowing what was both on their minds. "We'll talk soon," he finished and she nodded.

This wasn't a conversation she was going to let slip away.

Kira sat with her gaze off into the distance, lost in her own thoughts about who she had become. The soft shuffle of Kimberly's feet nearing broke her trance.

"I still remember Billy walking into school with lip stick smeared all over his face," Kimberly began as she came to take a seat on the floor beside the defeated white ranger. "He was a genius, but he didn't know the first thing about putting together an outfit or applying makeup."

Kira looked up at the small woman, giving her a weak smile. She knew what Kimberly was trying to do and appreciated it, but this went so much further than makeup.

"I looked like a total geek," Kimberly smiled fondly before nudging the white ranger with her elbow, trying to lighten up her mood. "But it was so much fun getting to primp up once I was back into my old self."

Kimberly was sweet and she was sure if she were someone like Cassidy then this little pep talk would be helpful, but Kira was a different type of girl. She loved to get down and dirty with the boys, spend her day drawing on her jeans, and writing deep poems that would be turned into songs. Her idea of makeup was just putting as much dark eyeshadow and eyeliner to hide the fact that she barely had gotten any sleep the night before because she stayed up working on her music. Kimberly was a bright light and she knew why her mentor was so drawn to her, but she absolutely had nothing in common with her, and she doubted a talk with her would make her feel any better.

The white ranger nodded politely as she stared down at the floor. "I'm sorry Kim, but I don't really care about beauty and fashion stuff."

Kimberly hadn't really realized just how different they were. She turned to look across the room at the yellow ranger and noted their differences. She foolishly assumed it would be like when she was a teenager, maybe slightly different as times had changed in the last decade, but still similar enough to where she could relate. The teenagers now were vastly different than the ones in her day or maybe it was the city. Angel Grove produced clones of well behaved kids that did their best to help out the community, minus a few bozos like Bulk and Skull, but nevertheless a lot of well mannered teens. Just in the last week Kimberly had seen the variety of personalities running around Reefside. Kira wasn't like her, but that was good. It just meant she would have to find a way to relate to her in another way. If things turned out with Tommy like she hoped they would then she'd be seeing a lot more of the rangers in the future. There was no harm in starting to get to know them now, one ranger at a time.

"Hey, that's okay. I'm not as vain and self absorbed as I used to be. I promise," she chuckled. "So what's really bugging you?"

Kira wasn't exactly comfortable with this whole talking to Kimberly thing. Sure she was nice, but she'd just met the lady not long ago. It was hard opening up to her own friends, even Hayley at times, so opening up to her was sure to be a challenge.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

Kim nodded while holding her hand out, "Scouts honor."

Kira released a shaky sigh, before whispering, "I have to pee, but I'm scared."

Wow. Yeah, Kimberly had been there and done that. Maybe not the best topic to start things out with the white ranger, but it was definitely something she would sympathize with.

"Oh... yeah. You know, there's no easy way around it. Just close you eyes and do it. And pray that the awkwardness will fade quickly," she told her before shivering from the memory. "I think it took me a full 2 weeks before I could look at Billy in the eye."

"Yeah, this is definitely awkward to say the least." Kira closed her eyes before softly rocking her head back against the wall.

This was torture. She was forced into this body and she has to deal with all of the anatomy that came with it. And cruelly be reminded of the unresolved feelings she and Trent have had the last couple of months every time she looks in the mirror.

Kimberly may not have a lot in common with Kira, but at the end of the day she was still a girl. She wasn't blind to the fact that Kira and Trent had a little something that they pretended wasn't ever there. Kimberly caught it her first day in Reefside, but never gave it too much thought since they weren't the assignment. They actually were now that she thought about it, but this wasn't Ranger business, this was just about a guy and a girl that were fighting to keep apart for some odd reason.

"You have a thing going on with Trent?" Kimberly nodded her head towards the blue ranger.

"Me.. no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no way, nothing, no, no... Not really," Kira chuckled awkwardly. Kimberly smirked lightly before Kira sighed, "I mean, it's complicated."

 _Ah-ha_. Kimberly adjusted herself better to Kira. That sole action reminding her of when she and Trini would sit at the park for hours and tried to solve the mystery that were boys.

She smiled fondly before saying, "How so?"

"You really want to have girl talk while I'm a dude."

Kimberly nudged Kira with her shoulder. "You're not a dude."

"What's between my legs says otherwise," Kira shuddered, horrified.

Kimberly's contagious laugh was caught by Kira and the two couldn't do anything, but chuckle at this tragic situation. That was the ice breaker that they needed and the white ranger couldn't do anything but look at Kimberly with so much respect as a woman and as a former ranger. They fell into a soft ball of giggles and they ignored the stares from the others in the room. With Kimberly by her side she had never felt more feminine.

As their laughter subsided, Kira cleared her throat. She was ready to tell someone about what was really going on. Something she'd never really discussed with before. She was shy about her feelings, which is why it was such a huge deal to her to reveal what triggered her powers, but she knew she was safe with Kimberly.

"Trent came into the team after having just won control over his powers. I guess you could say the white ranger was evil. He hurt people, but it wasn't Trent fault. I guess he's still beating himself up over it and keeping me at a distance."

Kimberly had been there herself. Now she knew why Tommy felt the need for her to talk to Kira. If anyone could understand what she was going through, it was Kim. She'd been there, she'd lived through it, and she'd come out of it on the other side.

Kimberly smiled before throwing an arm over the white ranger. "You know, you and I have so much more in common than you think."

Trent stood in a corner silently watching everyone deal with their new identities. Conner didn't seem bothered by anything other than the deserved pain in his chest, Ethan was on his knees begging Hayley to help him put his beloved laptop back together, and Kira was still mid talk with Kimberly. Tommy was sitting on a gurney reading over some of the results Hayley had printed out earlier and not so subtly stealing glances at Kimberly every couple of seconds. Even if no one was outright saying it, they hated being this way, and it killed him to know that he knew how to find a way to get them back to their normal selves. It was a secret he'd been keeping from everyone as a promise to Anton Mercer, but he couldn't do this himself, he needed the white rangers powers to do it. He just hoped she didn't hate him once she found out the truth.

He had to find Mesogog. He had to find his father.

* * *

 **Author Note** : Hey there! Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter. What did you guys think of Tommy's reaction to what Conner did? It was a mild reaction, I think lol. He definitely got off easy. Kimberly is starting to bond with the only female ranger and I'm excited for her to get to know the others as well. I have some exciting things coming up with Trent. Anyway, let me know what you guys think in a review or PM. It always makes my day. Also, is anyone here reading the MMPR comics from Boom! Studios? I've been a fan since they released the Pink edition. I hiiiiighly recommend checking out the entire series if you haven't already! That trailer with JDF as Lord Drakkon made my night lol. I can't wait to check out the Shattered Grid issues! See you all in the next chapter!


	18. Chapter 18

The guilt inside Trent was growing with each glance he gave around the room. The silent looks everyone was sharing with each other was becoming too much and uncomfortably gnawing at his conscience. The time to say something was quickly approaching, but he had to take matters into his own hands first.

It wasn't much longer before Hayley suggested everyone get some rest. All of Reefside was asleep and the thought of joining them was sounding unsurprisingly appealing. Kira was the first to head up and Tommy had happily offered his guest room to her. She was still in the midst of processing all of what had happened to her and desperately needed the alone time.

Kimberly was the next to get up from her spot on the floor. It was too late to go back to her hotel. Tommy lived in the middle of nowhere and it would likely be morning by the time a cab got to her. She made her quick rounds of saying goodnight and she was happy enough to take a spot in the living room, but Tommy had other plans.

"You should take my room," he offered Kimberly.

She opened her mouth to protest, but Tommy was way too exhausted to do this with her right now. He held his hand up, smirking, "Don't even try fighting me. I know you're tired."

Was it that obvious? She honestly couldn't even remember how it was possible that this incredibly long day started out with her making breakfast at his house. What an adventure today had been.

She nodded groggily at his request, having no fight left in her.

The black ranger came into her view, his sheepish grin letting out an invite for forgiveness. Kimberly's face contorted into a mix of emotions, finishing with a scowl.

Well, maybe she had enough for just _one_ more.

"Go jump off a cliff," she glared, while he ducked.

Getting her to accept his apology wouldn't be easy for him, and Kimberly was sure to make him grovel. She wasn't truly all that upset anymore, there were bigger things than this, but she did love to mess with him. She had to teach him a valid life lesson, even if just a small one.

"Ouch," Conner winced when Kimberly ascended the stairs. He turned to his mentor who was shaking his head, "Do you think she'll be mad at me forever?"

 _Probably_ and Conner really did deserve it.

"Just give her some time," Tommy answered.

Conner nodded, knowing that there wasn't much else he could do to help his situation at the moment. Sometimes patience was really the answer. He cleared his throat, using the opportunity to move into a lighter and newer subject.

"So... you don't happen to have another spare bed, do you?" He tried, but received a bewildering gaze from Tommy in return.

 _Bed_? Conner may be in the doghouse with Kim, but Tommy hadn't even said his piece yet.

"You're lucky I don't make you sleep outside," Tommy scoffed.

Conner pouted. Why was everything going horribly wrong? Was what he did really _that_ bad? Yes. Yes, it was.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Conner sighed, exasperated.

"I don't know," the red ranger rubbed his chin. "How about I tell you when to stop."

There was no winning today. Not with Zeltrax, not with Kimberly, not even with Dr. O. The only drop of happiness would be to slip into his nice warm bed back at home, but now he couldn't because the rangers had to go all _Freaky Friday_ on each other.

"What about us?" Ethan asked, his voice annoyingly too chipper for the late hour. He motioned to a slouching Trent, "We've been good. Any warm bed I can jump into?"

Tommy's two bedroom house didn't allow for the extra furniture, but now it was clearly something that had to be given a second thought to. At least for cases like this.

"No, but I do have a pretty comfortable couch you're welcome to use."

That was good enough for Ethan.

"Dibs on the long one!" Ethan bellowed, shoving past Conner in a race to reach the stairs.

Trent followed suit, inadvertently bumping into Conner as he made his way out of the lab, "Dibs on the other one."

The black ranger braced himself, groaning painfully at the contact from their shoulders brushing against his injured chest as Ethan and Trent played a game of push and tug up the stairs.

Tommy raised his brows, feeling a tiny bit of satisfaction that Conner was the one dealing with the pain. "Looks like the floor for you, Conner."

"I was afraid you were gonna say that," he groaned.

Just add another thing to his long list of suck. He gave his mentor a weak smile before burying his hands in his pockets, finding a sharp object rubbing against his callus fingers.

Conner inspected the small item as he pulled it out of his jeans. Giving it an intense glare, he asked, "This yours?"

Tommy watched the necklace he had taken back from Elsa dangle between Conners fingers, a faint smirk creeped up his lips. He had completely forgotten about it.

"Oh, no, it's Kim's," he answered, calmly taking the fragile item from the black ranger. "I forgot I put it in there."

His smirk lost strength as he noted the break in the chain.

Conner watched Tommy, confused about the significance of the necklace. He didn't quite understand why his mentor was so captivated by the quaint piece of jewelry.

"Do you want me to give it to her?"

"Uh, no," Tommy shook his head. "It's broken. I'll give it to her."

The black ranger nodded before beckoning his head towards the stairs. "All right, I'll see you guys in the morning."

He waved to Hayley before jogging up the stairs to meet Ethan and Trent in the living room, leaving Tommy and the technical advisor in the lab.

The newly suited red ranger threw himself in a nearby chair, the events of such an exhausting day playing in his head like a movie.

The quiet, now that everyone had moved north of the basement, brought forward his own thoughts. He sighed to himself as he toyed with the dainty piece of metal. The simple necklace with the fractured chain acting as a metaphor for what his life had become, utterly broken. With every storm comes a calm, but sometimes the silence comes with its own set of problems, ones that were easily avoided when you didn't have room in your head for your own voice to speak.

He fought his thoughts away, not needing the reminder that he had failed as a mentor, and had allowed himself to get so distracted by the possibility of some happiness that it clouded his better judgment. What happened today was _his_ fault. If he had just been honest in the first place then all of this wouldn't have happened. Kimberly wouldn't have been used as leverage for whatever sick game Mesogog wanted to play, and they wouldn't have traveled to his island and been switched. Zeltrax has always made things personal, he just wished he knew why. What did he ever do to him to make him hate him that much? The answer was lost to Tommy.

The red ranger sank deeper into his chair as he continued appraising the small piece of jewelry, recalling the exact moment he saw it on display at the store and vowed to get it for his then girlfriend. It was hard to imagine that ten years had flown by that fast. The diamonds still reflected when they caught the light beautifully, casting a sparkling glare in Hayley's eyes as Tommy drifted off into a sea of melancholy.

The redhead, who had been hard at work on the computer, swatted at the air involuntarily, an unconscious reaction to the light in her eyes. She searched around for the cause of the intrusion that had peeled her away from the screen, and gave a weak smile when she caught Tommy fiddling with something in his hands. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she tried to return back to her work, but she couldn't concentrate knowing that he was feeling so down. Her work could wait for a few minutes.

"Hey, Romeo," Hayley called out to him, and she received a light smirk from him in return.

It eased the tension in the room, allowing Tommy to finally relax his shoulders. She still smelled the pungent odor of doubt preying on a defeated red ranger. There wasn't much else she could do but come to his side, take his hands in hers, and give them a gentle squeeze.

They allowed a silence between them linger, giving them time to mentally adjust to this new state of absolute chaos. Five years of friendship between them morphed into this unspoken bond of family, that's what they were and what they would always be. She was part of it now, the ranger family that had been slowly growing over the last ten years. Maybe she wasn't an official ranger, but she was an honorary one for sure. They wouldn't even be able to come close to where they are now if it hadn't been for her hard work. She'd been there for the team through everything, she wasn't about to let this be the one thing to defeat them.

"You'll be fine," she reassured, slowly allowing his hands to slip from hers. "I _will_ find a way to fix this."

"I've never doubted you," he told her, softly but without fail.

She smiled tenderly at her dear friend, his declaration of support could move mountains. There was nothing more precious to her than his words at the moment, but she had to get back to business. Their fate rested in her ability to crack the code and find a way to revert them back to their normal selves.

She sighed before clearing her throat, "So you said that Kim and Billy switched before right?"

Sure the subject was relevant to their situation, but Tommy wasn't immediately following.

"Yeah.."

Did she have to spell it out for him?

"Do you think Billy could help us here?"

Interesting thought. The idea had never even crossed his mind, especially considering that Hayley was intellectually on par with the former blue ranger. "Honestly, you're probably just as smart as Billy."

"Oh, please keep going," she blushed a little. "Although I do love to be showered in compliments.. I'm doubtful that's true."

"I don't know, Hayley. You're both pretty smart."

"Well, even if that _is_ the case, two heads are definitely better than one. Especially when one of those heads has dealt with this before. I'm pretty sure he can help me make up some type of machine to undo this."

"Do you really think you can?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "but it doesn't hurt to try."

That's where she's wrong.

"No, actually it _does_ hurt. It hurts a lot," he told her, the memory of the heat from the machine causing his skin to ache.

"Oh, shush. You're alive, aren't you? "She waved him off. "So what do you think? Do you think he would help?"

"I'm sure he would, but he's not even on earth right now. Last time I spoke to him he was on his way back to Aquitar."

Billy isn't exactly in the next town over. Getting in contact with him wouldn't be an easy task, at least not for Tommy. Luckily he had Hayley on his side.

"Well then let's find him." She turned her attention back to her computer and began typing away, leaving the red ranger all sorts of confused.

Dinosaurs he could do, but when it came to the technology it was all Hayley. The codes she typed away on the screen morphed from letters and number to ancient hieroglyphics. He had to look away, the sight straining his vision.

"I don't even know how," Tommy sighed in frustration.

He got up from his chair as the need to move overcame him. He hadn't seen or spoken to Billy in months. In fact, he hadn't seen any other of the old rangers in a while. Life seemed to keep getting in the way, and although they were all still like family no matter how long they would go between visits, he couldn't help but feel guilty over it.

Hayley continued her work on the computer, typing and clicking away like she normally did. Tommy, on the other hand, continued to be no help as he marched back and forth behind her. He'd been through a lot today, she'd cut him some slack just this once.

"I haven't set up my intergalactic communications system. It could take days before I can even figure out how to do th—"

She gave three final taps to the keyboard before smiling. "All done."

" _Done_?" He reiterated. The red head lifted her brows, and Tommy couldn't think of anything else to do, but say, "You're brilliant."

She gave a smug smile. "Tell me something I don't know."

Hayley checked to make sure she had a strong satellite connection before going forward with the call. When everything checked out, she sent a video conference request. Tommy grabbed a nearby office chair and planted himself in front of the monitor beside Hayley, both impatiently waiting to see if Billy would even accept the call.

"Okay, it's ringing."

The large screen cleared into a video image of the drowsy former blue ranger stumbling down into a chair, a sole light illuminating the young geniuses face. Billy yawn into the camera as he fixed the knot of his robe around his waist. He worked to blinked the gunk out of his eyes, his vision returning to working order from having just been interrupted from a good nights rest.

"Billy!" Tommy beamed at the sight of his old friend.

The former blue ranger quirked his brow, finding a familiarity in the strangers face. The teenager clad in all red wore a bright smile as he leaned into the monitor, giving Billy a warmth from millions of miles away. He returned the smile all the same, feeling the need to replicate it from his end.

"Um, Salutations!"

* * *

"People are starting to ask questions, my Lord." Elsa swallowed thickly as she stood at attention. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she gave Mesogog the daily report. "The mayor has been missing for a few days now. We can't keep doing this."

Mesogog growled faintly as he paced circles around his hechwoman. He grabbed a long, black lock of her hair, gently allowing it to dance between his claws.

"Yes we can and we must."

She tried her best to keep still and not pull away from his touch, but the very thought of him made her stomach churn. The heat of his breath on her neck had her nearly sweating, and the touch of his scaly fingers brushing up against the exposed skin on her shoulders had bumps rippling down her arms. Her hatred for him was growing exponentially by the day, and her hope that Anton Mercer would be free was waning.

The thought of betraying him and joining Zeltrax to begin an uprise in power was becoming more and more appealing. Mesogog's plans were strategic and smart when their mission began, but the beast had been so consumed with power that his work had started to become sloppy. The citizens of Reefside weren't dumb enough to not catch on.

"Sir, the city has been running under no leadership. The Mayor isn't there to address the people, and with Anton Mercer also gone people are starting to put things together. You can't neglect your other duties. Anton Mercer was meant to hold a Gala tomorrow at the museum to raise funds for the Mayors re-election. If he doesn't show up then there's no doubt your cover will be blown."

"You don't think I know that," He sneered. "This isn't my fault.. right, Zeltrax?"

The cyborg bowed his head as he showed his allegiance by kneeling on one knee. "My lord."

The effects of Zeltrax's flubbed potion were still going strong, but he was on the brink of a cure. Something to rip Mesogog and Anton Mercer apart. He just needed more time.

"Any word on the potion you're supposedly brewing for me?" Mesogog eyed him intently, searching his face for any hint of deception.

His faith in the cyborg was losing its strength after so many failed attempts. He was beginning to question Zeltrax's loyalty.

Mesogog ushered his henchman up from his knees with a beckon from his fingers and the cyborg quickly obeyed the command.

Zeltrax knew how to play his part well. He knew just what to say to keep the pretense that he was on Mesogog's side. There wasn't anything that he wouldn't do to get his hands on Tommy Oliver, even if it meant turning his back on the man that saved his life.

"It should be done soon," he assured him. "It'll rid you of Anton Mercer. I'm sure of it."

"I hope for you're sake that you're right," Mesogog hissed. He growled in Zeltrax's ear as he reminded him, "There will be no second chances."

Elsa gulped, knowing that his statement probably went for her too. Still, she had to ask, "What are we supposed to do about the Gala?"

"Figure something out," Mesogog told her. "Isn't that _your_ job?"

The cyborg snickered to himself as he continued his duties of tracking down Kimberly on his oversized computer. He was tapping away on his keyboard as he went through section by section of Reefside. There was a tail he was following, a faint signal he was sure belonged to the journalist.

"Master," Zeltrax called out, " I seem to have located a vague area of where Kimberly Hart is in accordance with the tracking chip we installed on her."

Mesogog stomped over to his henchman. He stopped behind him, watching the large monitor with his glowing yellow eyes. "Whats the location?"

"It's somewhere in the outskirts of Reedside, but I can't get a clear geographical reading." Zeltrax continued aggressively typing away, the tips of his fingers nearly bleeding from the strength behind his hands.

Mesogog slammed his hand against the counter in a fit of rage. "Why the hell not?"

"I'm not sure," he shook his head. "I believe there's some type of cloaking device shielding her from us."

Elsa stepped up behind the two men, needing to ask her own question. "Can you intercept it?"

"Not at this time," Zeltrax regretfully informed.

Mesogog gave a low growl as he stepped out of frame. Again, his people were useless. Always disappointing him in one way or another. When would he finally get someone that wouldn't let him down? He made his way towards the door before his henchmans deep voice halted him.

"Sir..."

"What?" Mesogog sneered. He turned his head to the side, waiting for whatever was so important that his departure had to be interrupted.

"I believe..." Zeltrax began, "there appears to be an outgoing telecommunication call leaving the surrounding area. It looks like it's a long, _long_ distance video call— almost intergalactic."

"Can we pull it up?"

The cyborg pressed a few more buttons on his keyboard before a static image cleared onto the screen.

"Yes—"

 _Billy gave a quick glance over his shoulder, catching his wife Cestria stirring in her sleep. The unexpected video call had startled him awake. He had been apprehensive at first, but a side of him had his curiosity piqued by the odd hour. Although galaxies away, Aquitar shared many similarities with Earth, even a 24-hour rotation. The small city of Idedos, where Billy resided, even shared a similar time zone as Reefside._

 _He cleared his throat before whispering,_ " _Do I know you?_ "

 _The red ranger blinked before taking a look down his body. An explanation was definitely needed. "Billy, it's me.. Tommy."_

"Well, I'll be damned," Zeltrax released a sinister chuckle. "Seems to me like we've discovered their little hiding spot."

"And your machine seems to have worked perfectly," Mesogog added, smirking.

Elsa inched herself closer to the screen, her head tilting at the unfamiliar face of the man in blue. "Who the hell is that guy?"

" _Tommy?" Billy grabbed onto his nearby pair of glasses before throwing them on. His brow raised, unsure if his eyes were deceiving him. "Well, I must say that your appearance has altered substantially since we've last spoken, old friend. Nevertheless, what a pleasant surprise._ "

 _Tommy readjusted himself in his chair as he brought himself just a bit closer to the monitor. "I know, but it's not me... I mean, it's me, but not me._ "

" _I'm not sure I'm following," Billy raised his brows. There wasn't much that could stump him, but Tommy seemed to be talking in riddles at the moment._

" _Billy, Hi. My name is Hayley. I'm sort of the woman in charge over here," she chuckled awkwardly._

 _Hayley couldn't do much but surrender to how nervous she was at the fact that she was practically speaking to Power Ranger royalty. Sure Tommy was a highly decorated and important figure in the ranger world, but this was Billy Cranston. Not only was he part of the original team, but he also developed software for NASA that had allowed for universal exploration. This man was a rockstar in her eyes._

" _Interesting..." Billy let a few seconds pass by before casually asking, "In charge of what?"_

 _In charge of what? Does he not... had Tommy not...?_

 _She turned to her dear friend, a sassy brow lifting before she said, "He doesn't know about the rangers."_

 _She wasn't asking him, she knew._

 _Tommy sunk into his shoulder before grimacing. "I haven't gotten around to it."_

" _Just great," she rolled her eyes._

 _Now the time that would have been spent trying to figure everything out will be used to explain this mess._

 _Hayley started her explanation all the way back from a couple of years ago when Tommy had first discovered the Dino Gems. Billy was surprised to learn all of this new information. He'd heard of Tommy's accident from Jason, but the details had never been given. He doubted even Jason knew the truth. The former blue ranger didn't blame Tommy for not telling them about his recent venture back into spandex, but it was a small reminder that they weren't as close as they used to be. That part did hurt a bit, but they had all moved on and lived different lives. They were still family, but ones that saw each other maybe a few times a year. They were all spread out across the state, Billy even on a different planet._

 _Billy leaned forward when the topic of the last week came up. He nodded when Hayley brought up the reason as to why they were all switched now, and Billy couldn't help but he completely consumed in the discussion. It was intriguing, all of it. Just the idea that three villains would purposely do something like this to them was just low. He didn't expect them to play fair, but it was still just plain wrong. Luckily, he knew just what to do. It wasn't much longer until Hayley had brought him up to speed and left Billy astonishingly speechless._

 _Tommy watched Billy remain motionless for several moments, just staring into the screen with the blankest expression._

 _Great! Hayley broke Billy._

 _Tommy and Hayley shared a look of confusion with each other, both wondering if they had lost the connection or if Billy was just not speaking._

 _The former blue ranger needed time to process everything. He couldn't just go from groggy Billy to brainiac in .05 seconds. He needed time. Plus, it was way too late to be this smart._

 _He finally blinked, giving Tommy and Hayley the confirmation that his screen wasn't frozen._

 _This was the kind of work that he had been needing in his life._

 _He'd help them, of course, but not without letting out a quiet, "Fascinating."_

" _No, not fascinating," Tommy shook his head frantically. "Billy, I am trapped in a 17 year olds body! I am 17 again, that shouldn't be possible."_

 _Tommy ran two frustrated hands in his hair, feeling the silky length of it swim between his fingers. A small irritated groan fled his lips as it helped release some of his tension._

" _Sorry, he's a little emotional right now," Hayley apologized for Tommy's little outburst. "Anyway, we've heard from Kimberly that you've been in a situation like this before, is that true?"_

" _Kimberly?" That was a name he hadn't heard in a while. "You've spoken with Kimberly?"_

 _Now he had questions of his own, but Hayley didn't have the time to answer many of them. She had a mission and she had to get started on it as soon as possible. The time for reunions would have to wait._

" _Yes, like I said, it's a long, long story, but is there any way you can help us?"_

 _Billy rubbed his chin as he pondered on how to best word his answer._

" _Well, although this is an unusual request, I do have to say that I'm perfectly qualified to assist you in whatever you may need," he said. Hayley and Tommy shared twin smiles before Billy continued, "I'd truly love to help, but unfortunately I'm tied to Aquitar for several months. I'd be happy to help in other ways."_

 _That was all Hayley needed to hear before she began spewing questions and giving Billy all the information that she had acquired from the tests she had conducted._

Elsa stood back behind the viewing screen with a rabid scowl plastered on her face. This wasn't what she had expected to hear during the little conference call, but having a little intel into what the Rangers were planning on doing gave her a sick kick. They were now one step ahead of the game.

"How cute," she chuckled wickedly, "They think they can undo this."

Mesogog added his sinister laugh into the mix. The beast waited for Zeltrax to join in, but the cyborg had remained quiet, his head dipping down just a tad.

The laughter in the room subsided as Mesogog moved to tower over his henchman. Zeltrax was hiding something, and he needed to know what it was right that moment.

"What is it?"

Zeltrax watched his master out of the corner of his eye, the sharp claws of the beast inching closer and closer to him. He pressed his eyes closed as he mustered the courage to answer his question. With a regretful sigh, he mumbled, "They can."

"What?" Elsa was the first to speak, her words coming out in more of a growl.

"I'm not sure if it'll be one hundred percent successful, or for how long, but if they garner enough power then it's possible."

"How much power?" Mesogog spoke through gritted teeth.

"A lot of power. A lot of _prehistoric_ power." Zeltrax's gaze shifted from his master to Elsa, who seemed furious at this revelation.

Mmm... Mesogog pulled his lips back in a wicked smile, revealing his sharp and stained teeth.

"There's only one place they can get all that," He spoke huskily. "Too bad it's not that simple."

* * *

 **Author Note** : Hey There! Well, here is the next chapter. I had some fun with this one. I always planned on needing to use Billy in some way. His character was just so important and he's obviously handled something like what the rangers are going through before. He isn't here to stay, but I just felt I needed to include him in this short bit. Anyway, more to come in the next chapters. Be sure to let me know what you guys thought in a review or PM! See you guys next time!


	19. Chapter 19

"Rise and shine, Dr. O."

There couldn't be a worse choice of words to hear coming out of Conner at six in the morning. Tommy stirred on the old couch in the lab, covering his head with a pillow to block out the sound coming from the black ranger.

Conner released a frustrated sigh before yanking the fluffy pillow off his teenage mentors head, throwing it across to the room in an attempt to wake up the red ranger.

The ruckus woke up a sleeping Hayley who had taken the other couch beside Tommy. She sat up, rubbing her tired eyes awake. The sight of Tommy and Conner going at it so early in the morning was draining and she contemplated going back to sleep, but she knew there was no way she could once Conner continued pestering Tommy.

"Ugh, what," Tommy grunted.

"Sorry, man, but soccer practice doesn't end when schools out... so get up."

"What are you talking about?" Tommy groaned groggily.

Conner rolled his eyes as he continued to shake his mentor awake. "Like coach would really let me miss practice," he half chuckled.

It was too early for Tommy to find the humor in it. "You're joking."

"Nope." Conner shook his head. There was no getting out of this. If they were stuck in this suckfest then he had to continue his duties outside his ranger world. "By the way," Conner began with a smirk, "did anyone ever tell you you're blind? I seriously almost fell coming down the stairs."

That would have been bad, but Conner would argue that stubbing his toe on Tommy's couch felt equally as terrible.

"Yes, that's why I wear glasses." Tommy threw him a glare that asked if he was really that stupid.

"Oh, yeah." Conner shook his head, rattling his brain back on topic as he threw Tommy a set of clothes and Soccer shoes. "Get ready."

"Conner, you can't be serious," Tommy scoffed in frustration. "I don't know the first thing about soccer.""

Conner was more than willing to be of service.

"Well, lesson number one: This is a ball—"

Conner did his best to kick the black and white ball back and forth between legs, but his mentors body was so mistreated that everything was aching.

Tommy stood back, impressed with Conners ability to make it look so easy. He actually looked pretty good as a soccer player. Once Conner was satisfied with his little demonstration, he gave two more bounces before passing it over to Tommy with a swift kick.

Tommy, oblivious to how the game actually worked, reached out and caught the ball in his hands.

Conner groaned as he rubbed a frustrated hand in his hair, "I guess that brings me to Lesson number two: Don't catch it, this isn't basketball."

Watching from the base of the stairs was Kimberly.

"Morning," She announces cheerfully. She raised her arms up and over, a soothing and satisfying stretch to begin her day.

Hayley and Conner shared a stifled laugh with one another at Tommy's sudden change in demeanor. He played the part of a lovesick teenager perfectly, now more than ever.

Seeing her so early in the morning was something Tommy could definitely get behind. She walked with a grace and a smile that made her just so effortlessly beautiful.

"Hey," Tommy replied a little too fast. "sleep okay?"

Kimberly's head nodded yes, but the three other teenagers behind her groaned a hoarse, "No."

Tommy rolled his eyes before taking Kimberly hand in his and escorting her to a nearby seat.

"So, guys," Hayley began, "I have some great news."

"You fixed my laptop?" Ethan's eyes lit with hope.

Hayley chuckled before giving out a sharp, "No—"

Ethan shrugged. Maybe it was time to start planning out his funeral.

"Conner's decided to move far, far away?" Kira chimed in with a smirk. Conner gave her a gentle shove, stating that he wasn't as amused.

"We can only wish," Hayley smiled, "but no— I've spoken to Billy and we were able to work out a new schematic that could possibly reverse all of this."

The teens eyes sprung open with glee. It wasn't long before they began bombarding Hayley with their own set of question.

"What?... Are you serious?... When can you finish it?... Are you sure this will work?... Of course it'll work, idiot, this is Hayley... Don't call me an idiot..."

"Whoa, calm down everyone," Hayley tried her beat at mediating the situation. "We're short a few things, but if we're able to find all the materials then it shouldn't take me too long."

"Awesome," Conner nodded. The sweet taste of normality was a breath away.

"Don't get too excited," Hayley felt the need to add. "I do want to stress that this is all a gamble. We're not entirely sure if this will work. Are you guys okay taking that risk?"

"Yes," Kira was the first to speak up. "I'm sorry but I'm done living as someone else. I need out of this body, like, yesterday."

Ethan couldn't agree more with Kira. They were the two that really got the short end of the stick. This wasn't really a good thing for anyone, but they were the two that were struggling the most.

The yellow ranger would offer his services in any way he could to make this new mission as smooth as possible for Hayley. "Is this the list of supplies?" He pointed to a stray piece of paper on her desk.

The red-head nodded as she handed the sheet to Kira and Ethan to look over. The supplies were a mix of wires and metal. They were specific and thorough, a tad difficult to come by, but not impossible. The short list of prehistoric dinosaur bones written at the bottom was a different story.

"Where the hell are we going to get all of this?" Kira shook her head.

That's the problem," Hayley sighed, "I have no idea. We can scavage junk yards, and I have a few supplies at the cafe, but I think finding the fossils will be the hardest part."

Not too hard, truth be told.

"Hayley," Ethan lifted a brow, "I think you're smart enough to know where we can get this."

"I know," she grimaced, "but getting this stuff might not be totally legal."

Kimberly wasn't following as quickly as she was before. They had seemed to be speaking with intel only they knew.

"Where can you find this stuff?" She spoke up, inquiring what was stumping her.

"At the Mercer museum." Hayley told her.

Anton Mercer. Kimberly rolled her eyes at the mention of that mans name. Why was he always involved in everything?

"Trent, do you think your dad would mind if we borrowed it?" Conner asked

Anton wouldn't, Mesogog would.

"Um, I... I don't know." Taking the stuff would be an easy task if his father was just like any regular dad, but everything about Anton Mercer was anything but normal. If Billy was able to come up with a plan to change them back so easily then his father would surely anticipate them going to the museum.

That's when things were starting to light up for Kimberly. Anton Mercer was more involved than she thought. This was all starting to make sense. She turned to study Trent's face, a boy that she was no longer sure she could trust. How could she? Now that she knew his ties to Anton Mercer were strong. There was no waiting around anymore. She had to confront him. She just had to find the right time.

"We can just be in and out," Hayley told them, "No one will know."

"Wait," Kira held her arms out, "You want us to break into the museum?"

The group turned to Hayley, the one that was usually the most rational and would do her best to resolve all conflicts in the most ethical way. It was unlike her to suggest something so legally dangerous, but the rangers didn't have the time to abide by the law on this one.

She nodded, throwing them a quirked brow, "Do you have any better ideas?"

* * *

Was the continuous sound of a whistle suppose to do anything other than constantly annoy the player? How can you concentrate on the game with that _thing_ ringing in your ear or the wild hollering from the coach in the sidelines every five seconds?

Tommy looked and felt absolutely ridiculous out in the soccer field. He had no business being out there trying to pass off as a soccer player, but he was doing it for Conner. Because teammates looked out for one another and if this was important to him then he'd go along with it, even if it meant making a fool of himself... which he definitely was.

The running was great, Tommy hadn't felt so alive than when he was a young teen over ten years ago. His new body was just that. His knees didn't creak from the years of battle, his eyesight was still fantastic, and he could feel himself nearly flying in the field from his slimmer figure. Switching bodies came with its share of cons, but there were also some pros, even if Tommy would never verbally express it.

Kicking the ball was another story. It took so much coordination, and although Tommy had plenty of it, he'd never put it to use in Soccer before. He could hear the frustration from his coach every time he'd lose the ball, but thankfully this was just practice. Even through all the falls and accidental kicks to the shins, Tommy persevered.

This latest stint had Tommy perfectly catch a pass only for him to kick it to an opposing team member.

That was the straw that broke the camels back.

Coach Enders threw his clipboard on the ground as he blew his whistle wildly at Tommy.

It was time to face the fact that Tommy wasn't going to leave practice with any skills but more so partial deafness in his ears.

"McKnight!" Coach Enders growled. The bulky man stomped over to Tommy in a heated fury, "What the hell was that?"

"I'm sorry," Tommy sighed, "I'm just not myself today."

" _You can say that again_ ," Conner rolled his eyes from the sidelines. This was going horribly. He'd joined Tommy to his practice and silently prayed that things would go well, but he knew this was going to be a garbage day the moment he realized the night before hadn't been all some horrible dream.

The coach was lost. Conner was his best player, and the way he was running around in the field gave the impression that he'd never even seen a soccer ball.

"Just... just go run some laps for now," Coach Enders told him in weak frustration.

Tommy did as told, but he made a mental note to _never_ come to another practice again. He started his lap effortlessly, the anger and frustration with the whole situation thundering in the soles of his feet with every hard stomp.

If this practice went bad then what's to say that a fight with Mesogog, Zeltrax, and Elsa wouldn't be just as horrible? Everyone's lives were more on the line than ever, and he'd never felt more responsible for being stuck in this situation.

The flying sensation came back as he continued pushing himself hard into his sprint.

"Wait up," Conner called from behind. He was still dealing with the slash to Tommy's chest, only intensified by the feeling of every ache and pain resulting from years of neglect. He couldn't catch up even though he desperately wanted to, Tommy's body just wouldn't allow it.

"Conner," the black ranger cringed at the sound of his own name fleeing his lips. What a strange new world he was living in, but he had to get Tommy's attention some way. He wasn't oblivious to the fact that the school campus was still surrounded by athletes even though it was spring break. They'd all continue to pour themselves in practice.

Tommy slowed down just enough so that Conner could catch up to him. They continued the jog in silence, Conner allowing his mentor the opportunity to come down from whatever he was feeling.

"All right, man, you have to talk to me," Conner spoke up after a moment. He put his arm out, slowing down Tommy beside him until they came to a stop in the middle of the track, other athletes speeding right past them.

"Conner, I have no idea what I'm doing," Tommy sighed, wiping the sweat trickling on his forehead with his sleeve.

Why was Conner getting the feeling they weren't talking about soccer?

"You're doing fine," Conner told him gently.

"No," Tommy shook his head, "this is just... _practice_. What if when there's a real... _game_... one of us gets seriously hurt."

The black ranger chuckled lightheartedly. Tommy was being very choosy with his words, but Conner understood perfectly.

"We won't get hurt during a _game_ because we have the best _coach_. He taught us everything we need to know."

"Really?" Tommy gave a weak smile.

"Yeah," Conner returned the same.

Nothing more was said. Those simple words from Conner helped immensely. He hated to admit it but he loved those kids, they were his family, his home, and although he wanted to beat them over the head with an anvil ninety-nine percent of the time, that one percent he spent thanking the morphing grid they chose them because he couldn't see himself without them.

That was enough of that. This was getting too sappy for Conner. "Anyway, about _this_ game... just kick the damn ball, man."

So much for that. The ninety-nine percent was back.

"Easy for you to say," Tommy rolled his eyes.

"You can't tell me you've never actually played soccer."

"I'm a football guy," Tommy huffed.

A sharp reply was on the tip of Conners tongue, but the high pitched squeal of a teenage girl calling his name killed the thought.

"Conner!" Came from the distance.

The black ranger turned his head to the sound of his name to find the same blonde haired girl from when he first met Kimberly. It was the instigator that caused his beloved soccer ball to fly right over to Kimberly's face.

The 17 year old blonde was waving to the red ranger from the distance as she slowly neared him.

"Oh no," Conner panicked.

Tommy followed Conners eyes to find the young girl, but was lost to his sudden change in attitude.

"What?" Tommy shrugged, unaware about the situation that was about to unfold.

"That's Tiffany," Conner whispered.

"Tiffany?" Why did that name sound so familiar to Tommy? "As in my homeroom 'Tiffany'?"

He honestly couldn't keep track of his 200 students. All teenage girls were beginning to blur.

"Yes!" Conner exhaled sharply.

This was bad, so very bad. Saving the world and having a secret identity meant that it left very little time for normal teenage things. Aside from Soccer, Conner didn't really have time for any extra curricular activities. Dates with Reefside Highs finest became his sort of outlet when Soccer just wouldn't suffice.

Tommy was messing things up bad for him in the Soccer field, but he'd die before he let him mess up his upcoming date with Tiffany. He'd spent hours trying to convince her to give him a second chance after his flub outside the Cyberspace Cafe. If Tommy didn't play along then he could say goodbye to his chance at redemption.

"Wave back, dude," Conner hissed under his breath to the lost red ranger.

Tommy did as he was told, but the confusion was still there as the young girl came closer.

"Okay, listen to me," Conner sighed before cringing, "She's going to kiss you right now."

Tommy's neck nearly snapped from the force it took to turn to shoot Conner an incredulous glare. "WHAT?"

"And you're gonna let it happen," Conner told him under his breath.

"Conner—" Tommy was mid protest, but a quick hand to his lips from the black ranger shut him up.

"Sorry, man, but we kind of have a thing going on right now, and if I don't— _you_ don't, I guess, then she's gonna be pissed."

In what world did Conner ever think that this would be okay? Was he dropped on his head as a child?

"Are you insane?" Tommy shook his head, firmly standing his ground, "I am _not_ doing this."

Conner ignored that last little bit. " _Yes_ , you are."

" _No_ , I'm not," Tommy countered, he gave a weak chuckle at the fact that they were even having this conversation. It was absurd.

Panic mode was settling in now that Tiffany was quickly approaching.

Leave it to Conner to get creative. "Dude, do it or... or I'm gonna get myself arrested."

Desperate times called for desperate measures, and there wasn't a more desperate time than right now.

Tommy's brows came together in the center as a bout off disbelief washed over him. "You wouldn't!"

Conner shot Tommy a nod that meant he was capable of doing just about anything, and the red ranger didn't want to risk finding out just what that was.

"Conner!" Tommy turned to find Tiffany abruptly wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him to her.

All Tommy could do was try to suppress the urge to throw up in his mouth when the blonde teenage girl pressed her lips onto his. Unfortunately, his gag reflex kicked in. Tiffany pulled back while her eyes sprung open at the image of Conner falling to his knees.

The bitter taste of teenage hormones left Tommy violently gagging in the middle of the track.

Conner rubbed a shaky hand down his face, completely mortified by his mentors reaction.

The sight of her boyfriend had Tiffany raising a brow, but she shrugged it off only the way a naive 17 year old could.

She stood with poise, patiently waiting for the soccer star to compose himself.

A few snickers and side glances were thrown Tommy's way from various athletes surrounding the track, much to Conners dismay.

"Oh, hey, Dr. O," Tiffany mumbled awkwardly when she caught sight of her presumed teacher beside her.

"Hey." Conner managed to wave to his girlfriend, despite the fact that he was hiding behind his hand in embarrassment for Tommy's ridiculous reaction.

He was sure he'd have to find some poor excuse to explain all of this to her when he was back into his body, but for now he was just dying a little inside.

"So, I'm sorry for running out on you after you hit that lady in the head," she chuckled at the memory, "but you can't blame me."

"Remind me what I did again," Tommy growled as he came back to his feet. His eyes narrowed towards Conner who was grimacing at his mentors reaction.

Tommy was clearly still upset about that ball hitting Kimberly.

Tiffany watched the tension between the red and black ranger grow, but she shrugged it off when a couple of girls from her softball team beckoned her over.

"Anyway," she shook her head clear, "We're still on for this weekend, right?"

Tommy had the power now. He could either end things for Conner or be the bigger person and try to not blow things for him. Tommy had a heart, and he just couldn't deal with the fallout right now.

When things looked in favor of the black ranger, Conner took the opportunity to stand behind the 17 year old. He nodded frantically to Tommy, giving him the direction to move forward.

Tommy couldn't do more than roll his eyes and answer the young teen with a simple nod to let her know the date was still on.

"Awesomeness," she giggled. "See you then." With a quick wave goodbye she jogged over to her softball team in the adjacent field.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Tommy shivered in a desperate attempt to shake some sense into his new reality. "I just kissed my student. This is just morally wrong."

Tommy wasn't winning any teacher of the year awards for that one.

"Dude, can you just be cool about this?" Conner scoffed at his mentors reaction. "I have a reputation."

Tommy shook his head at the absurdity of it all.

"I'm gonna kill you." And he really wanted to. He no longer cared that he might not have a body to go back to when this was all over.

Tommy was mid launch with his hands loosely wrapped around Conners neck, and although a tight squeeze would have been the satisfying thing to do, his mind had wandered off to the incoming voice of another female.

"Conner!" A sweet voice came from behind.

The black ranger recognized the voice immediately.

"Oh shit," Conner panicked, again.

He turned to have his suspicions answered. It was his _other_ girlfriend. Neither were serious relationships, but they were just too fun to stop.

"Who the hell is that?" Tommy's voice nearly broke.

"Hot young Freshman. Say _hello_ to Amber," Conner nodded. He folded his arms, biting his lip at the sight of the gorgeous incoming teen.

"No!" Now it was Tommy's turn to shake his head frantically. "You can't possibly be dating her too?"

"Don't hate the player, hate the game," Conner grinned.

Gross. Was there no such thing as loyalty in a relationship when it came to Conner? Tommy was never the type to bounce around from girl to girl.

This was just further proof that Conner was juggling more than soccer balls.

"You're disgusting," he told Conner. There was never a truer sentence in the English language.

"Stop doing that," Tommy shoved Conner, breaking him from his lip biting trance. "I look like a damn pedophile!"

"She's coming, man," Conner whispered. "Accept the kiss."

Not again.

There she stood, giggling like the school girl that she was.

"Hey," she smiled ecstatically as she wrapped her arms around the neck of who she thought was her boyfriend.

Tommy was trying to be supportive of Conner, but he just couldn't agree with his ways. Tiffany was one thing, but now that he knew he had more than one girl throwing herself at him, he just couldn't play the part Conner wanted him to play.

All his senses came crashing down once again when the impressionable teen kissed him.

Tommy's arms splayed out, searching for salvation as the young teen tasted his lips with hers. The vomit was bubbling to a boil as Tommy peeled the young girl off of him with shaky hands.

"You haven't called all week," Amber pouted, giving gentle flutters from her silky lashes. "You haven't forgotten about me, have you?"

Tommy covered his hand over his lips to keep the anger from spewing out of his mouth. He shook his head in disappointment at Conner and himself for willingly going along with this.

She took it as confirmation although it had nothing to do with her.

"Good," she answered with a perky smile. "How about we get together this weekend?"

Tommy met her with silence and a simple nod. It was all his self control would allow him to do.

"Perfect. I'll see you then." She departed with a wink before scurrying off to her cheer quad.

Now that she was gone... well, Tommy had a few words.

Tommy turned to grab Conner by the collar of his shirt, pulling him mere inches from his face. "You're horrible."

"What can I say?" He cocked his head, smiling smugly, "I can't keep them off me."

"You can't possibly be dating two girls," Tommy muttered through gritted teeth as he released the former red ranger.

"I'm not," Conner brushed him off with a strained chuckle.

And he wasn't lying about that.

"Hey, Conner!" A new female voice came the distance.

If looks could kill then Conner would be dead ten times over by the seething glare Tommy was shooting at him.

"I'm dating three," Conner snickered awkwardly. "Stay cool!"

* * *

With Tommy and Conner off to Soccer practice, and Kira and Ethan off to the Cyberspace Cafe to try and get some of the items Hayley needed for her machine, Trent quietly excused himself to make a phone call. Three days. It had been three whole days since Trent had last spoken to his father. With Mesogog's power growing substantially over the last several weeks, he was right to worry. His father was always sure to give him an update to his condition every morning and today marked the third day that he hadn't spoken to him. Something had to be wrong. Something was keeping his father from communicating with him, or _someone_.

"Hey, Dad... it's me, again," Trent sighed softly into his cellphone as he left his father yet another voicemail. "I just— you haven't been returning my calls and I just want to know that you're okay."

The blue clad ranger sat on a barstool in Tommy's quiet kitchen, his fingers raked through the short curls on his head at an attempt to soothe his anxiety.

The blue ranger maintained his back to the opening to the kitchen as his call continued, his mind lost in the conversation he was having with the other end of the line.

The long and tiring night continued into the next day for Hayley down in the basement. There was never a day off when it came to ranger business. Accepting that she couldn't possible be of much help with the scientific aspects of the project, Kimberly kindly and graciously offered her catering services. She was street smart, but she left the machine building to people like Billy or Hayley.

So after a few laughs about what kind of trouble Tommy and Conner would get into, Kimberly and Hayley had worked up an appetite. With Hayley working on the machine, Kim made her way up the stairs of the lab and over to the kitchen where Trent was still mid call.

After speaking to Kira the night before, Kim had felt like she understood Trent just a little bit more. There was a lot that she still wanted to know about him, most of it dealing with how Anton Mercer fit into all of this.

She tried to not eavesdrop on Trent's private conversation, so she made sure to clear her throat loud enough to inform him that he was no longer alone. Still, she would be lying if she said that she didn't catch _some_ of what Trent was saying.

The blue rangers demeanor suddenly changed at the arrival of the former pink ranger. He gave her a nod and a weak smile as she made her way past him into the kitchen. Again, Kimberly tried to not give the conversation too much thought, but Trent's awkward behavior had all her sirens firing off.

Trent mumbled a few more words into the phone before finishing with a rushed, "Um, call me back when you can."

The phone was flipped closed and thrown on the counter like a hot plate. He dropped his head while running a frustrated hand down his face.

His behavior was strange, too strange.

"Hey," Kimberly smiled gently towards his direction as she poured herself and Hayley a cup of coffee.

"Um, hey," Trent answered with a sharp sigh.

"Everything okay?" She tried her approach at coming off casual.

"Um, yeah, just... it's nothing." Trent waved his hand dismissively.

"Right," Kimberly nodded. Her tone gave a hint that she didn't believe him, but she let the subject drop, at least for now. She took a sip of her coffee, her face twisting from both the heat and the bitterness of the liquid. They shared a subtle laugh at her reaction before she said, "Can we talk?"

Oh, no. The talk was coming. Trent knew it would. When Tommy had told him that Kimberly had seen Anton Mercer walk into an invisiportal, Trent vehemently denied knowing anything about it or the possibility that his father was somehow involved. Tommy trusted him, and so he believed him. Now Kimberly was the one asking questions. Lying wouldn't be easy because Kimberly was quick to pick up things.

"Sure," he nodded. Sure he may have seemed cool and collected on the outside, but the inside was a little boy that was terrified about how he was going to answer Kimberly's questions.

"I kind of wanted to see how you were holding up." She went around the counter and took a seat beside him, placing her steaming cup in front of her to allow it to cool.

"Oh, um, I think I'm doing better than everyone else," he shrugged. "Not much has changed for me. At least not like Kira and Ethan."

"Right," she nodded, again. "How long have you been on the team?"

"Not that long, honestly. I kind of had a complicated start."

She'd heard of his bumpy road from Kira the night before. "Evil white?"

"Yeah." The pain from his actions were still there for Trent. It was difficult having to face his teammates every single day knowing that he really hurt them in the beginning. It was a dark cloud that still followed him around.

Kimberly picked up on how deeply it still affected him. How could she not? She'd spent hours talking to Tommy about his same issues back when they were teenagers.

She had to shift the conversation into something else.

"I'm kind of surprised to hear you are Anton Mercer's son... I thought your last name was—"

"—Fernandez, it is. Well, it's both," He half smiled. "My parents died when I was little. My dad wanted to honor my birth parents by keeping my last name the same."

The mood had suddenly turned somber. That was something Kira left out of their little conversation, but she could understand why. What happened to Trent's parents was tragic. Anton Mercer appeared in a different light now. It didn't change the fact that he was possibly working with one of the biggest villains the morphing grid had ever seen, but it gave him more dimension. Maybe he wasn't completely horrible after all.

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents," she told him while placing a soft hand over his forearm.

"Thank you."

"You and Anton must be really close," her voice came out gentle.

She took another sip of her coffee while Trent answered, "We are."

Kimberly surveyed Trent's mannerisms from behind the ceramic mug before saying, "There must be a lot of loyalty there."

She was swimming closer to the topic he so desperately wanted to avoid. "Aren't we all with our dad?" His voice came out lined with a touch of irritation.

"Not all of us..." Those words were like a stab to the heart for Kimberly. No, not everyone. She hadn't even seen her father in years. There was no loyalty there for her. "Anyway, it's great that you speak so highly of him. He didn't seem very friendly when I met him."

"I know he can give off a bad vibe, but he's a really good person." Truth. Anton Mercer was a decent human being, Mesogog was another story.

"Really?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"So I'm guessing there are no secrets between the two of you."

Kimberly was smooth. She knew just how to ask the questions without making things seem intrusive.

"None at all."

"None, really?"

Her question was met by a nod from his end. Interesting. This was the perfect opportunity to slide into her next topic.

"Um, so I went to speak to your father the other day and I saw something... strange."

"Oh?" Here it comes.

"Yeah... Okay, look, I'm just going to get down to it. I saw your father walking into an invisiportal the other day," Kimberly paused to study Trent's face, but he showed more defeat than surprise. She continued, "and judging by your expression, this doesn't look like news to you."

The blue rangers eyes fell to his feet, refusing to meet Kimberly's inquiring ones.

"So I'm going to either guess that Tommy told you what I saw or your father has done this plenty of times before."

Her claims were met with silence. Nothing. And that said more to her than any words could.

"Hell, I think both of those are right. I know Tommy talked to you. He wouldn't sleep on it— not this, but I'm sure you've managed to fool him into thinking whatever you want." Her tone turned frigid as she whispered, "But you can't fool me."

"What are you getting at?" He spat back, defensively.

"You're hiding something," she told him. "I knew it the moment I saw you, and I thought it was because of Kira, but I was wrong. This is bigger than that. I don't know if you don't realize this Trent, but this is what I do. I'm the _best_ at it. I'm not a ranger, so you don't owe me a damn thing, but everyone that is sticking their neck out for you in the battlefield... I think they deserve to know that you're not being completely honest, and that this mess somehow involves your father."

Silence. Still. He was caught with his hands in the cookie jar. What more could he do? He couldn't lie to her, not that he didn't want to, but she obviously didn't believe him, and rightfully so.

"I don't know if you think you can do this alone, but take it from someone whose been there, you can't," she continued. "You're a team of rangers, no one works alone. And if you try to do it yourself, you're going to die, or get someone killed in the process."

Alone. That's what was eating Kimberly alive. Trent, like Tommy, has always been the outsider. He thrives on being alone and doing things his way. He's too much of a leader to fall back and follow orders. That's why Jason and Tommy butted heads so much. Sure they were friends, but it didn't come naturally. It took time. Trent didn't see it now, but the Dino Rangers were there for him. He didn't have to do things by himself anymore. He had a team.

She let the silence between them linger just a moment longer before calmly saying, "I think it's strange that you'd call your father when you don't sound like yourself."

She had him there. He wasn't as slick as he thought he was.

There wasn't much else Kimberly could say to change his mind. She turned to leave, shaking her head as she feared Trent would eventually do something stupid.

Trent sighed as he watched the former pink ranger exit. Something inside him just couldn't leave the conversation there. He had to let her know that he wasn't as dumb as she thought he was, everything that was happening was under his control.

"I know what I'm doing," he told her.

Those five simple words still ached Kimberly's heart. The same words that Trini spoke to Kimberly before she took off with Wes. Even though Kimberly strongly wished that she didn't. The memory left a void in her heart as those words echoed in her ear.

Now Kimberly couldn't do more than grind her teeth at the arrogant tone in his voice.

She spun on her heel to confront him, coming directly face to face with the young teen that couldn't comprehend the severity of his actions.

She fought the knot building up in her throat as she hissed, "No... you don't!"

At that moment she wasn't sure who she was speaking to, Trent or Trini.

* * *

 **Author note** : Hey there! Hope you guys enjoyed this newest chapter. I had some fun getting to explore Tommy and Conner. Also, I want to add that there is a reason for what happened in the second part with Conner's "lady friends" and I'm going to explore that further in future chapters. I actually think it's pretty important to the character development, so keep that in mind. I'm not sure when my next update will be. I was shooting for one update a month, but the next two months are going to be really crazy for me. I'm not sure if I'll have any time to write. I hope you guys understand. Anyway, be sure to let me know what you guys think in a PM or review. See you next time!


	20. Chapter 20

"Just breath," Kimberly softly recited to herself in the mirror hanging above Tommy's dresser.

It was a weak attempt at calming herself after her unsuccessful conversation with Trent.

Blowing up on Trent wasn't the brightest idea that Kimberly had come up with, but just knowing that he was hiding something about Anton Mercer was really digging into her. Father or not, Trent was knowingly working with a man that was up to no good. It didn't matter that Anton was one of the 'good guys,' the dude gave her the _heebie-jeebies_ more than any other man ever could. She could spot a bad seed a mile away and Mercer was full of them.

"This has to stop," she shook her head in determination. "It's over. The lies end now."

She gave herself a firm nod of confidence in the mirror one final time before dashing towards the door.

She was focused on getting the truth out now— telling Hayley and the rest of the rangers everything she knew and had them decide for themselves if Trent should be trusted because she didn't.

Her rogue mission stilled when she heard the loud stomps coming from the first floor.

Her head turned towards the sound as she peered from the safety of the door.

"I said I was sorry!" Conner groaned as he slammed the door behind him, the force causing the windows to rattle.

"You say that a lot, don't you?" Tommy chuckled sarcastically through the rage.

"Well, I am!" Conner returned.

"Look at my face." Tommy sneered, taking off a classic baseball cap that revealed a scarlet stained cheek. "Actually, look at _your_ face."

Conner visibly winced at the series of small handprints on Tommy's cheek.

"I messed up, okay? I know that... Now can you please stop looking at me like I'm a member of the Manson family?" The Black Ranger pleaded.

The argument had garnered the attention of the rangers working with Hayley in the lab. Kira and Ethan had just returned from the cafe with tools that Hayley needed to complete the machine to switch them back.

"What's going on?" Ethan was the first to speak up as he made his way towards the living room.

Trent followed behind and furrowed his brows at the noticeably red mark on Tommy's cheek, "What happened to your face?"

"Conner, you want to explain this?" Tommy let out a strained laugh.

 _Not really_.

Conner sighed, knowing that the next couple of words were some that could possibly get _him_ slapped this time, "My girlfriends found out about each other."

" _Girlfriends_?" Kira enunciated for clarity. "Like, plural?"

The black ranger shrugged, the corner of his mouth curving up in an attempt at a smug smile.

Hayley scoffed to keep from gagging, "You're a pig."

Those words brought Conner back to just the recent past when all of his now former girlfriends slapped Tommy right after the other in front of him. The unsuspecting Red Ranger didn't see the small horde of teenage girls running towards him with raised hot hands.

"That's what they said," Conner remembered, shuddering.

Tommy simply rolled his eyes and began his ascend towards the stairs, completely ignoring Conners weak apology coming from behind. _Teenagers_.

"Dude, I'm sorry," Conner hollered, the sound becoming increasingly softer as Tommy continued up the steps.

The stairs gave a heart-pounding creak as Kimberly scrambled to compose herself in Tommy's bedroom.

"Hey," she said suddenly as Tommy entered, her eyes were wide, her bottom lip sandwiched between her teeth.

"Oh, um... hey," Tommy half-smiled in surprise.

Her presence was startling, but it was a pleasant surprise, nonetheless.

They were still tiptoeing around each other, unsure of what was appropriate to say or do around one another.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were in here." Tommy stuttered, pointing towards the door, "I'll just—"

"—no, stay," She told him, "I mean, this is your room after all."

"Yeah. I was just gonna," he nodded towards his master bathroom, "'Cause, you know, Hayley wants us to go do whatever she wants us to go do."

"No, yeah, go ahead."

Kimberly thoughts were focused on the exit to save herself from further embarrassment that she didn't catch Tommy taking the opposite step as she did. Again, she was blocked by the tall wall that was the red ranger. The sidestep dance to see who would move around the other was painfully awkward.

"Sorry," he begged for forgiveness with a light chuckle.

She returned the laugh the same as she turned her face to keep him from seeing her flushed cheeks.

Kimberly nodded as she slowly skirted around him and walked towards the door. Her fingers wrapped around the cold brass, her brain conflicted with daring to have this conversation now.

There was privacy and although Tommy didn't exactly look like himself, he was still in there, it was still him.

Her fingers gently released their hold on the doorknob, feeling the soft sound of the metal clicking closed.

Tommy turned his head and caught sight of Kimberly resting her back on the hard wood of his door with a mix of emotions across her face.

There was silence and he allowed her to process her thoughts. It was coming.

"Is this... weird?" She finally spoke.

Tommy's brows raised. He didn't really know how to put it into words, "What? Weird? No way... it's just—"

"—It's a little weird," Kimberly told him.

Their soft laughs broke the awkwardness that was slowly brewing.

"It's just that I'm not me. I mean, I am me, in here, but all of _this_ is just different."

Kimberly nodded. All of this was strange and she knew exactly what he meant, what he was feeling, but what she was referring to was a little deeper than just switching bodies.

To say that they had been avoiding each other was an understatement. There was something there between them, the extra-long glances were evident of that, but they didn't know what do or what to say. Things were awkward. How did she even begin to start a conversation with the former boyfriend, almost something, and now nothing— Tommy Oliver?

Earlier this week she began trying to uncover a story, now she's been pulled into the deep ocean, praying for a chance to break the surface and breathe. Tommy was her lifesaver, in more ways than one. If this was ever going to work, then this was the test. Being with Tommy was an adventure, always would be. Was she ready to follow was the real question.

"I mean, yeah, that is weird, but I meant... us. Like, are _we_ being weird."

Oh. Yeah, they were.

"I just... I don't know how to be around you, Kim. At least not while I'm this."

"No, I totally get it. I do," she nodded for his sake. "I'm sorry about Conner, too. I mean, about what happened at my hotel. I just, I thought it was you and it was you, but not _you_ , you—" her cheeks flushed, "I shouldn't have done that and Conner _really_ shouldn't have done that, but that was completely—"

"Don't be sorry, okay?" He told her, gently, "I _wouldn't_ have stopped you. _I'm_ sorry I wasn't there."

She dipped her head to keep from smiling as she digested his words. What did it all mean for them?

"Kim, I wanted to tell you who I was from the start, believe me, but I understood that this was a life you didn't want to be a part of, and I foolishly thought that keeping this secret would somehow keep you safe, but I was wrong."

"I'm not afraid," she told him, suddenly. His eyes questioned her answer and she shook her head before clarifying, "Okay, I was, but I'm not anymore."

Tommy shook his head before swallowing, "You should be."

Her brows raised in confusion. This was unlike him to say. "How could you say that?"

His words came out wrong, but he was a desperate man that needed her to understand the bigger picture.

"Kim, you don't understand that these guys aren't like Rita or Zedd. Mesogog is bigger than that and as hard as I try... I can't protect you." His voice trailed off softly in the end, almost like if admitting that was forbidden.

There he was. The voice of the man that always gave everything to save her when they were teenagers coming to greet her for a split second. He never sounded so young.

"Have you ever stopped to think that maybe I'm not the one that needs protecting?" She told him as gently as she possibly could.

Tommy shook his head again. She didn't understand and he didn't know how else to explain it to her. His heart was aching at just the thought of her life being in danger once again.

"You're a threat to them. Do you understand what that means? That as long as you're a threat, you're a target." He was speaking passionately, his body moving in a way that could get his point across better. "I don't want you in danger, ever, and this life that I lead... you're not safe."

Kimberly appreciated how deeply he cared enough to think about her safety but it didn't matter to her anymore. This was bigger than that and she needed him to see it her way.

"I know who you are and what it means to be with you. I also know there will be a time, after all of this, after you've given up being the Black Ranger, that you will step back into that suit, whatever color it may be."

Tommy was mid protest, but Kimberly held her hand up. It was her turn to say her piece.

"I know that because that is who you are. And you know what? I don't care. I mean, I'll be terrified for you, but I'll be behind you every step of the way. I will. Because not giving _this_ a chance scares me more than any monster or any villain that we may ever face. Together."

The words were there for her, fighting at the tip of her tongue to break free, but the time to have a big emotional talk about what she was truly feeling wasn't right. She couldn't verbally communicate what she felt when he wasn't himself. When she wouldn't allow herself to physically explore what her brain was trying to express.

Tommy's eyes softened. He had no idea he really meant that much to her. They'd spent a few days together but not enough time for him to think that it could erase a decade of zero communication.

If she was being honest then he had to do the same. She had to know.

"They're coming for you," he said, gently.

She took the moment to look away from him, her head shaking as she fought to come to some reasonable explanation.

"How can you be so sure?"

There was no doubt in his mind...

"Because they know what you mean to me."

"And what is that?" She whispered, her glistening eyes begging for the answer she knew deep in her heart.

Tommy paused as he battled speaking his truth internally.

Softly, he answered, "Everything."

There was a stillness as they allowed the weight of his word to sink in.

* * *

Author note: GUYS! GUYS! I'm updating! Look, I know it's been almost a year since my last update but I never intended to be gone for so long. I kind of left you guys with no explanation, but I guess I can say now that life has seriously been insane! I moved thousands of miles away, I began to further my education, and I'm trying to balance it all while maintaining my household. School has been kicking my ass, especially considering that I've been out of it for nearly ten years. It's hard when I have other responsibilities. I had this written for about 8 months now! Yes, I wrote this last year and I never got around to working on the second part of this chapter, but I knew that this was the push I needed to start back up. Updates WONT be regularly, but I wanted to get something out for those people that want to know what's going on. I have SO many fics that I want to write and I started another one, actually a Christmas one I started last fall, lol. It was supposed to be up for the holidays but I never finished it. I'm hoping to be done with it soon and maybe an early/late Christmas present from me (whichever way you look at it). I'm still invested in this community and I do read and lurk, so if I don't review it doesn't mean that I'm not around! Anyway, I just wanted get out what I do have and update with the next part when I get the chance. I hope it won't be long from now. Let me know what you think in a review or PM! I'm still here!


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